Re Creators Fanfiction: Make Me Whole Again
by Exciel
Summary: Meteora X Souta fanfiction, please give constructive feedback, do not be unnecessarily negative or toxic. This book will contain 6 chapters.I will try to release a chapter weekly. Cheers and have a good read. WARNING, Chapter 3 onwards will contain violence and implied rape, read at your own discretion.
1. Realisation

It was finally done.

My most ambitious project had been completed.

I could not help but wipe away the perspiration on my forehead and smile triumphantly at my desktop monitor. At the same time leaning back against my chair to stretch the back of my body, which was cramping up from both the lack of movement and the cold of the impending winter. Drying my palm on a handkerchief, I then focused my gaze unto the screen. I simply could not resist admiring every aspect of my newly completed art piece.

The picture consisted of all the creations huddled together, smiling as though they were getting their photo taken.

I knew from the bottom of my heart that it was abysmal compared to the drawings of the other illustrators I have met during the course of the Chamber Elimination Festival.

 _Eh, but what the heck._

 _Take some pride in my work Souta!_

My drawing ability has came a long way.

I stared at the picture for a long time, how their cheery faces reminded me of all the fun times both creators and creations spent together, how we fought against near impossible odds, and how we were able to pull the miracle of victory from the jaws of defeat.

Together.

It has been a few weeks since, and everyone has gone their separate ways. Life has resumed being uneventful, slow and mundane. Furthermore, with the amount of homework piling in during the course of the Elimination Chamber Festival, I was beyond fortunate to find the time to satisfy some of my creative endeavors.

With this recent completion, it was suppose to be really satisfying.

But all I felt was an empty sense of satisfaction.

Perhaps I have not really accepted the fact that the creations; the people that brought colour to my life to be gone that quickly.

I slumped back into my chair and let my mind wonder into a temporary state of depression.

If only...

If...

...

BZZZZZZ

The sudden vibration of my phone abruptly shook me from my stupor. I sluggishly scoped my phone to check the contents of the incoming message.

 _It's been a while._

 _Meteora_.

Thats right, she did not return to her original world. Unlike the others, she chose to stay here because she "loved this world."

 _Also, partly because the principles of her magic did not allow her to return._

This world was a boring place compared to the world of anime and manga. People lead predictable, mundane lives. And yet for her, she felt that it was beautiful.

She is so strange sometimes it is almost scary.

I smiled to myself, flicked through the message contents.

 _Its starting to get cold these days._

 _How are you?_

 _Things started to settle down after I moved out of Marine's house._

 _I am almost done with my novel._

 _I am planning to submit it to the New Writer Award at Denko Publishing._

 _But I am having a hard time coming up with the title._

...

...

...

 _Would you mind it I have a look at it first? I think i can come up with a decent title if I were to look through the context of your novel :)._

 _..._

 _Sure thing. Why not you come over to my place? It has been a while since we last met, and I would like to hear your upfront opinion after reading my novel._

 _..._

 _Wow that's nice of you. I would be curious to see how your new house looks like too ^^. Time and place?_

 _..._

 _..._

Needless to say, I finally have something to look forward to asides from homework and chores.

I decided to take the cab all the way to Meteora's house. Expensive as it was, I wasn't particularly fond of walking on the streets during wintertime. After all, the temperatures for today were significantly lower than the ones on the forecast.

 _Unlike busy suburban streets of Tokyo, Meteora has chosen to reside at the more tranquil countryside. Given her newly found profession as a writer, the peaceful and quiet surroundings allowed her to fully focus on her writing. Noise and traffic at the expense of convenience was a sacrifice she was willing to make. That was how much thought was put into consideration when choosing her place to stay..._

Upon arrival, I paid the driver and left. I scurried along the pavement until I found the house I was looking for. Taking a look around, the streets were void of people, the roads were frozen and pavements were blanketed with thick layers of snow. Above, ominous skies approaches, signalling an oncoming snowstorm leaving the streets empty in the first place.

 _The winter this year is definitely intense._

I approached Meteora's house and pressed the doorbell. Instantly recognising the doorbell tone as the opening theme of AVALKEN. Feeling rather amused, I found myself smiling like an idiot.

Not realising the door was already open for me.

And there Meteora was.

Standing in front.

Probably wondering why I was stupidly smiling to myself like that.

 _Good afternoon Souta, please come in._

Snapping out of my stupor, I instantly refocused my gaze on her and regained my usual composure.

 _Hi Meteora, it has been a while!_

I took notice of how she looked. Wearing a white cardigan with a gray inner T shirt, followed by pair of dark blue shorts that reached the middle of her thighs. I could not help but gulp in an attempt to dissipate and block off my immediate thoughts about her.

 _She looks quite attractive today._

Taking our seats on the sofa, I immediately inquired about the novel that Meteora had wanted me to vet.

Also partially to break the awkward silence which ensued after the initial greetings.

 _"About the novel, I really look forward to reading it."_

 _..._

 _"Ah yes the novel."_

...

Walking over the her work desk, she reached under and took hold of a small stack of printed pages secured together with a metal clip. After handing them over to me, she took her seat beside me.

...

 _"Wow, you managed to come up with all these in such a short span of time. Thats pretty amazing!"_

I was genuinely impressed.

...

" _Oh it is nothing compared to what the other authors can create. I just wrote a story similar to the adventures I had since appearing in this world."_

She brushed her snow white hair aside and looked away.

 _Was she hiding her blush._

I shook that thought out of my head.

 _Meteora-san is naturally unbreakable, she would not compromise her emotions that easily._

 _..._

 _"...If you look even closer, you might say I might have been copying the plot."_

She refocused her gaze on me and gave a nervous smile.

...

"No way, it might have been inspired from real life events. But the fact is that you translated such events into words. It is your original work Meteora!"

Perhaps I said it a little too loud.

She looked away again. This time maintaining her usual straight faces, almost as though in a trance.

This habit was all too common for her.

 _"Why not you read it and tell me."_

...

 _"Sure thing."_

...

After snuggling myself into a comfortable position. I flipped through the pages and slowly found myself becoming more absorbed into the story. It would only be fair to say that Meteora's writing style was nothing short of incredible. Despite how she always converses in an alarmingly straightforward, tone-deaf way, many might consider that she has no talent for literature at all. Evidently, this was not the case.

To put it shortly, Meteora is a talented writer.

Reading her novel allowed me to relive the experiences that changed my life forever.

...

The Initial battle against Altair alongside Selesia during our first encounters that night.

...

The time at which she consoled me about the death of Setsuna.

...

The Chamber Elimination Festival.

...

Even though the names of the characters have been changed, the plot has largely remained the same.

 _I could feel parts of the paper getting moist._

 _Am I tearing up._

 _I guess the nostalgia was too much an emotional ride for me to handle._

Closing my eyes and taking deep breaths, I placed the stack of pages back on the table.

Only to notice that the right side of my shoulder was strangely feeling heavier than before.

Turning around I could not believe what I was experiencing.

...

 _I think I didn't move for at least a good five minutes_

 _After all, this was not a situation I am used too._

Meteora was fast asleep while leaning against me, using my shoulder blade as support for her head.

A girl being so close to a guy.

I have not felt like this since my interactions with Shimazaki.

I was literally close enough to take in her scent.

 _Wildflowers, I thought but slapped myself mentally afterwards._

 _Stop being a pervert Souta._

As much as I wanted to move away, I cannot help but stay in such an awkward position.

I mean it would not have been nice to move away like that, she was sleeping so soundly.

Subconsciously, I was also starting to take in minute and totally unnecessary details about her.

Despite how much a glutton she was, she is still able to maintain such a slim and petite figure.

How her skin was so fair and clean of features.

How her facial features were so soft.

...

 _I swear it was all unintentional, I will explain it all when I wake up._

 _Provided if I have too._

 _..._

And I had forgotten that she was a character from an animated game. The thought of it was slightly disturbing.

 _Why did I have to remember that fact at the last possible second?!_

 _..._

 _"Souta-kun?"_

 _..._

While being distracted from my own guilt, I failed to notice that Meteora has woken up. Perhaps from the irregular shifting of my body. Glancing back at her Cerulean blue eyes, I held that gaze for what seemed like eternity before regaining my composure. I ultimately managed to put some distance between her and myself.

 _"Its getting late, I should get going."_

I said my words too soon, because I only took notice of the snowstorm happening outside.

It probably started while I was reading.

From the vibrations of the window panes, it was getting increasingly violent.

...

 _"Souta Kun, the storm is getting quite heavy. I think you should stay here for the night."_

...

I looked at her dumbfounded; Not knowing what to reply. Spending a night with a girl was just too much for me to handle. As much as how good a friend she is, wouldn't it be too awkward...

She gave me a reassuring smile, signalling that everything will be all right.

 _"It's okay, I think I will just..."_

 _..._

 _"If you are feeling uncomfortable sleeping with me, you can always sleep on the couch."_

 _..._

Is she even serious at this point? I couldn't even tell from the usual bland tone of her voice nor her poker face.

Leave it to Meteora to be so insensitive about these things.

Looking back out the window again, I knew I had no choice.

It's not like I had the intention to do any ecchi stuff anyways.

I hated early mornings.

Early Mornings meant waking up for work.

Waking up for school.

Early mornings usually signifies the start of a busy day ahead.

...

 _Ugh... leave me alone._

 _..._

I tossed and turn, trying to shake away the voice in my head.

...

 _Souta get up, It's time for class. You don't want to be late._

 _..._

 _Mom, five more minutes!_

In the end I couldn't take the voice anymore. My eyelids fluttered open. Only to slam back down as the couch was directly facing the morning sun.

God dammit.

I sat up and turned my head, catching sight of a blurry female figure donning a pink apron...

That voice must be mom.

...

 _Good morning sleepy head._

...

Wait that voice sounded different from before.

Rubbing my eyes, I refocused my gaze onto the figure.

Oh it's Meteora...

...And I could tell she was really trying her hardest to control her laughter.

 _"I guess you like complain to yourself so much while you slept. Well, I made breakfast, please come to the kitchen."_

...

 _"In a little bit, let we wash up a little first."_

...

 _"Toilet is at the left end of the corridor."_

...

First thing to do of the day was to clean myself up. Facing myself towards the mirror, I thoroughly checked for any traces of dirt, at the same time rinsed my face with ice cold water in an attempt to revitalise my sleep deprived body.

... As well as mentally slapped myself a few times in the process.

Meteora laughing at how I have a habit of sleep talking. Who knows what other embarrassing secrets I might have compromised.

So much for putting up a mature front.

Palming cold water unto my face in a desperate attempt to shake away this morning's events. I made my way into the kitchen to join Meteora for breakfast.

What I saw next got me quite surprised.

She had prepared quite a meal for me. It was an intercontinental breakfast plate consisting of charred bacon, grilled chicken sausages, soft fluffy scrambled eggs and toasts accompanied with a mug of hot roast coffee. All of which were masterfully prepared.

Well, having an ability to cook well greatly compliments her voracious appetite.

Breakfast was largely quiet, though we did occasionally discuss about our current routines; I would ask her about how life has been since moving here. It was largely mundane topics brought up just for the sake of conversation.

Well, most of the conversation anyways.

 _"Life has been pretty boring for you Souta?"_

 _..._

She can read people's emotions really well.

 _..._

 _"Yeah it kind of has, I really miss everyone."_

 _..._

 _I am still here, if you need someone to talk to then..._

 _..._

 _Nah it's alright, I can handle it._

He looked at each other for awhile before turning our gazes away. Her eyes looked sad and apologetic. Like as though she wanted to help but couldn't.

 _I knew those eyes._

 _I had those eyes before._

 _..._

 _"I will get over this one way or another."_

I said smiling and reassuring her.

The weather has brighten up for the better. The heavy snowstorm has finally subsided, leaving behind only sunshine. The town was once again populated with people. Children playing with the snow mounds left behind by the snowstorm, adults busily shovelling up the thick blankets of snow left behind on the sidewalk. The streets were lit, vibrant and full of energy...

...

 _"Souta kun, you are strong. Much stronger than me. You will eventually be able to overcome this on your own. However if need be, I will be there to help you any way I can."_

Meteora rarely smiles, but whenever she does. I always feel a strange feeling swell inside me. I am not certain what feeling it was, but it was a really good feeling nonetheless.

 _"Thank you Meteora for everything, I will be on my way now."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _..._

 _"Oh wait I forgot"_

 _..._

I opened up my bag and meticulously took out an printout.

It was a printout of the drawing I completed earlier yesterday.

 _"Meteora, I made this to remember all the fun times we spent together. Please have this as a token of thanks, for everything."_

Meteora inspected the printout I made. Her blue eyes danced around the picture,while becoming a little blurry.

...

 _"Its really beautiful_."

She spoke, barely audible while holding the print close to her chest.

...

She was tearing up a little.

It was the first time I saw her like this.

...

 _"Thank you Souta Kun."_

 _..._

I smiled at her, trying to cheer her up with whatever charisma i can squeeze out.

 _"No problem! Hope you like it, I will be on my way!"_

 _..._

 _"Wait Souta."_

 _"If my novel ever gets published, would you be my illustrator? "_

 _..._

Without even giving a second thought, I turned my head around and gave a her a thumbs up sign.

What else could I have said anyways?

After all.

 _Whenever I felt helpless, she was always there for me._

 _Whenever I felt useless, she was always giving me ways to improve._

 _Whenever I felt lonely, she was always the first one there for me to confide in._

Now.

It's my turn to help her.

For all she is worth.


	2. Acceptance

The remaining weekend flew by rather well. I managed to pick up one the last few copies of The Symphony Of Vogelchavlier 2 , completed all my due assignments and updated my Hiroyuki Suwano playlists before the weekend came to an abrupt end.

 _I also spent a night at Meteora's house..._

For whatever reason, that experience to me was nothing other than bliss. Time sure passes by when you are out there being happy...

And in no time at all, I myself at my seat during on Monday morning waiting for Homeroom to begin.

 _..._

 _"Souta, hey Souta!"_

I lowered the book I was reading onto my desk, coming face to face with Kou. His face suddenly changing from a wide grin to one of curiousity.

Kou currently bears the title of my best friend. Despite how rowdy and loud he always is, he does possess a  
great heart towards his friends. His spiked black hair, dark green eyes and athletic figure has scored him with many pretty girls in and outside campus. Leaving me always wondering when will he decide to take a relationship seriously. However, Kou always quoted the same line: "They were too rough for me". Usually I would often find his relationship adventures strange and amusing, sometimes even outright hilarious.

Unfortunately for whatever reason, I was not in the right state of mind to entertain him today.

Or the past few days, for that matter.

...

 _"Emilia has gotten the top of class against, frustrating isn't it? How does she even manage to handle the daunting task of homework and revision."_

...

I subtly rolled my eyes, while injecting as much interest as I could into my response.

...

 _"You have been pretty obsessed with her recently haven't you."_

...

" _Huh no no no it's not what you think."_

Kou did a shooing motion with his hands as a sign of defense.

...

" _Anyways you have been always talking about her results. How well did you do?"_

...

 _"I... barely managed to pass hehehe."_

...

Figures.

Kou suddenly stood pulled my collar towards him, causing myself to be caught directly into his gaze.

His expression was dead serious.

Anyways Souta, since you managed to secure a top five placing for finals. I suggest we have a celebration!  
...

I looked away from him with a nervous smile.

You are just looking for an excuse to party...

...

Heaving a sigh, he lowered me back to my seat, then slumped back into his chair, facing away with a bored expression on his face.

...

 _"Hey it cool to just take a break ya know, is it really hard to spend a bit of quality time with your best friend."_

 _But my idea of celebration is totally different from yours man..._

...

I wanted to rebut but couldn't find the energy in myself to so.

The rest of the day passed by rather uneventfully. Chemistry and math remains a chore. History was extra sleep inducing and economics was painstakingly boring.

Art and Japanese lessons were joyous occasions though.

...

Why have I been feeling so empty for the past few days.

I simply couldn't understand it at all.

 _"Hey Souta, I will catch up with you later okay!"_

Kou exclaimed in delight.

...

 _"Huh? You are not going home yet?"_

I gave him a perplexed look.

...

 _"Nah I got extra tuition classes."_

...

 _"Tuition? With who?"_

From the tone of my voice, it was evident that I was a wee bit disappointed.

I found the answer immediately after popping the question.

...

 _"Kou, didn't we agreed to meet at the library ten minutes ago?"_

...

The voice felt smooth but firm, almost familiar. I spun around to see a female student walking towards. She had long navy blue hair that were neatly arranged and intense ruby red eyes. Donning a Green beret and the usual student councillor blazer. Her height reached slightly above the 165th centimeter mark, followed with an atheletic build and a decent sized chest. She is easily one of the most attractive girls I have ever seen on campus.

...

Kou spun around to greet her, while nervously sliding his hands behind his head.

 _"Oh sorry Emilia, I had to tell my best friend some important stuff, hope you do not mind."_

What in the world was she doing here

Unless.

Unless she was the one that was supposed to tutor Kou.

 _Or is Kou trying to pick her up?_

Kou read my expression and managed to put two and two together. Before I could question any further, he grabbed Emilia by her shoulders and gently tugged her towards the direction of the library.

He looked back at me with a sheepish grin

 _"Oh will you look at the time, I have to start revising now. Time is precious ya know, we'll see you later!"_

...

 _"Kou! You do not have to push me so hard you know... Oh bye Souta Kun!"_

Her voice became barely audible at this point.

Wait. Did she just called Kou's name without honorifics?

I didn't know that they became so close.

Perhaps they were dating...

I shoved that thought out of my mind.

However, new thoughts immediately flooded in to replace them.

...

Meteora.

I miss you.

What? Why am I thinking about you all of a sudden?

We are just friends.

She is too perfect for me.

I do not deserve her at all.

Get out of my head.

...

Why am I feeling so empty recently?

Lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

It was the last day of the term, it was suppose to be a joyous occasion being the start of the school holidays.

I however could not bring myself to feel anything.

I tilted my head to face the book I have been reading this afternoon, which had been flung carelessly onto my bed.

The Symphony Of Vogelchavelier Season 2

As excited I was for the release, I couldn't bring myself to read it now.

Or rather, I couldn't bring myself to do anything.

I almost felt like as if.

I wanted to die.

No.

I shot back up, trying to mentally deny that feeling. My body was now moving by itself, my fingers flicked through my inbox messages as though searching for something specific.

ChatsMeteora.

Wait, when did I receive this message.

12.32pm

That was during the results distribution period and the review of exam scripts, where we were strictly prohibited from checking our phones.

 _Souta kun._

 _I am really happy to tell you that I managed to win the Denko Publishing Award. My novel is going to be converted to an anime series. In addition to that, I am also able to publish my novel in both soft and hardcover forms through the sponsoring distributor. I am so excited with regards to this development._

 _It was also largely thanks to you that I won._

 _The novels will need some illustrations though, particularly in the front cover and intermediate sections. I hope you can come up with some fantastic ideas._

 _After all, you promised to be my illustrator._

 _I hope you can come to my prize presentation at XXX this Saturday._

 _Meteora_

The answer was not hard to find.

 _I will be there I promise._

...

:)  
...

Well that response came in pretty fast.

Shine District Cafe. Pretty much the only budget cafe around home, and where me and Kou would usually hang out. The cafe took on a european setting, glass display booths where food on sale were displayed. We would just signal to the barista on what dishes we wanted.

As per usual, we settle for our cups of coffee and melted Parmesan Ham sandwiches.

...

" _Kou, what does it mean to love somebody?_

Kou nearly spat out his coffee in shock.

 _"Oh you mean guy girl love? Man it sure is complicated to explain_... "

He suddenly narrowed his eyelids and pointed a finger at me with fearsome energy.

It felt as though he was accusing me of something...

Thankfully I was prepared, otherwise his out-of-nowhere motion would have made me I flip over my chair.

 _"WAIT a minute, did you find someone without telling me first. Or is it Setsuna Shimazaki you were talking about... Wait isn't she..."_

I managed to shove a sandwich into his mouth before he could continue.

" _Alright okay I get it! As a buddy of yours, I am willing to hear out all your love problems completely free of charge!"_

Despite how I am sometimes so rough to Kou, I really appreciate him as my best friend.

I told him about everything. From the day I met Altair and Selesia to the Elimination Chamber Festival and to the day I went to Meteora's house to review her novel.

" _So you fell in love with this girl called Meteora eh..._ " He said in a very mysterious fashion.

Silence ensues.

HAHAHAHAHA!

...

What so funny?

...

Oh souta, you and your unhealthy obsession with anime characters. It seems as though you always wanted an anime.. Waifu was it?

He managed to cough his words out while trying to contain his laughter.

...

Cut it.

...

" _Alright Alright! But seriously though, this is one chance to make your ideal relationship come through and you are just gonna live in denial like that? Thats pretty unbecoming for a guy that saved the world."_

I turned my head to look at him, willing to listen.

" _Look here, I think maybe you weren't think straight from the start. But you gotta understand that she could have just sent the novel via email for you to vet. You can store files into Cloud servers nowadays and share them with others. So why would she invite you over to begin with?"_

 _"Unless...She wanted to spend time with you."_

Its the only reason.

 _"She even wanted you to stay on top of that. Isn't it already as obvious as it is?"_

This deduction made me even more anxious that I already am.

" _Anyways from the looks of it, she doesn't nearly sound half bad. Maybe the reason why she puts on a poker face all the time is so that you wouldn't know."_

He looked at me condescendingly and pointed his index finger on my forehead.

As if holding a readied pistol and preparing to put a bullet into my skull.

" _So that your friendship with her will not be threatened in case you did not reciprocate the same feelings she did."_

 _All in all, It's a very simple case._

Kou is bad at school work, he is worse at mannerisms. However whenever it comes to deducting relationships. He was always dead accurate. Like an archer which never fails to hit his target, no matter how fast or agile the target was.

I could not react in anyway. If anything I just sat there with a perplexed look on my face. My mind was overwhelmed with so much information. And with my personal emotions getting in the way, it was hard to remotely think straight at this point.

...

 _Why not just ask her out?_

...

 _Did I hear you correctly?_

I reaffirmed softly

...

 _"I meant, you went out with Shimazaki before right."_

He managed to dodge my second attempt. Damn him.

...

No harm asking, given the circumstances she would probably agree.

He squeezed the remaining whole sandwich into his mouth.

I mean you have to try. You cannot expect anything to happen without doing anything right? He said between his chewing.

Thank you Kou.

Kou helped me find a new resolve. And it was up to me now to set things right.

"Should I wear this or that..."

Meteora was busy flipping through the fashion websites.

It has been a tiring day for her, filing up recruitment forms and completing several online interviews for media companies. Securing a job as an aspiring writer wasn't easy. After all, to make a living you must be one of the best writers out there.

And to top it off, she has not been eating well. Relying on unhealthy snacks to fuel her energy in place of proper meals.

Being an anime character definitely has its perks, she did not need to worry about having pimples, scars or any other skin features that degrade her appearance.

The only worry was to find out the most appropriate hair style as well as the type of clothes she is going to wear...

... When she goes out with Souta.

Meteora could not bear the thought of this. Burying her head between her arms and frantically shaking her head.

...

This is just outright embarrassing!

" _Help! I cannot decide at all. Stop worrying about how Souta thinks, everything will be fine."_

...

It was a rather poor attempt to console herself.

BZZZ BZZZ

Oh it's probably from another editorial company, she thought.

...

 _I will be there I promise._

Souta.

...

She felt a weird sense of elation hit her. During her time in AVALKEN, juggling with the heavy duties of a librarian left her little opportunities to develop any form of intimate or lasting relationships.

She is beyond relief that that part of her life is finally over.

However, this newfound feeling was really alien to her.

For whatever reason, she could not help but experience a fuzzy feeling of warmth and contentment.

With her curiosity invoked, Meteora opened up a new tab on her browser, keyed into the search field the description of the feeling that she is currently experiencing.

All the results pointed towards the same thing.

 _Love_

 _In love_

 _Fallen In love_

 _Love is defined as an overwhelmingly strong sense of companionship towards someone or a certain group of individuals. Love allows people and their companions to feel a deep sense of satisfaction. They complete each other by they making up each others flaws. Thus they become a major pillar of strength for each other. Eventually, mutual love results in a union; Marriage to be precise. Laying the foundations for creating a healthy family unit..._

Her sleepy cerulean orbs widened from the realisation.

She tried to avoid the truth this whole time; Denying reality itself.

After all, confessing to Souta would surely result in the termination of their lasting friendship.

Living out her life as a stranger to him was the last thing she ever wanted.

...

 _We really went through so much together. Didnt we?_

...

She glanced back at her recent conversation with Souta, finding the best way to deliver this heavy message to Souta.

Meteora's free hand was fidgeting with the trackpad in a poor attempt to distract herself, clicking on browser tabs at random

As if guided by fate. She stumbled across her Email containing the details of the prize presentation. Names of guests, address, themes, programs...

... _Time._

... _5.00 pm._

She straightened up from her chair, suddenly invigorated and smiling to herself.

I really hope this work.

Connecting the dots, putting two and two together, she finally manage to formulate a plan.

Message New message Souta

 _The presentation starts at 1:00 pm but can we meet at 12:00 pm? I just want to make sure we get good seats at the ceremony._

Sent.

BZZZ

That was fast.

 _Sure thing! See you at Asakusa Train station then!_

 _Souta._

...

For the first time, someone was able to come between Meteora and her food.

With her appetite finally returning at long last. She closed the conversation on her phone.

Heaving a sigh of relief. She tucked in her legs onto the chair. Repeatedly balling up her fists and releasing them to ease the stress.

Despite her best efforts to put on her usual straight face, she could not resist curling her lips into a smile.

She was literally dying from the excitement.

Meteora! This is so unlike you, snap out of it.

This is not working.

I need a distraction

...

I got it!

...

In no time, Meteora found herself opening up a new web browser tab. Searching every single fast food delivery company she could set her sights on.

After all, thinking of her lover boy has made her famished.


	3. Resolution

_"We have arrived at Asakusa! Please watch your step when exiting the train, thank you!"_

As the train doors rumbled open, I used the palm of my hand to shield my eyes from the sunlight. Giving myself some time for my vision to be adjusted to the brightly lit surroundings before stepping onto the platform.

It sure is bright today.

Despite how strong the sun was, it did little to ease the cold I was experiencing.

A gust of chill wind blew against my face.

It stings...

I frantically pulled my scarf above my nose and I hurriedly made my way towards the exit.

Looking down at my watch, I realised that it was already...

12:10pm.

Dammit, I am late.

Thump

Thump

Thump

Thump

Anxiety and nervousness was building up within me, causing my heartbeat to beat faster and with greater irregularity.

I scanned my surroundings, trying to locate a particular person that has been the cause of so many anxiety attacks.

 _Meteora?_

 _Meteora where are you?_

...

There she was.

Buried deep into another one of her hardcover novels.

Seated at the rim of the fountain, seemingly under the waterfall of the fountain itself.

...

 _On a side note, the water fountain was pretty grand all things considered._

 _The fountain was entirely carved out of stone. A sculpted cupid stood two meters in the air, supported on a pillar resembling that of greece classical order architecture. The angel was holding a large cornucopia engraved with hearts which was filled with water; acting as the well of the waterfall. While Water would flow out from below cornucopia, creating an majestic arc of water._

 _It was a impressive take on ancient greek architecture._

 _The plaza were surrounded with shops selling different kinds of goods. Ranging from everyday items to food, electronics and toys. As well as free roaming deer; Traditional icons of Asakusa park from the get go._

...

Shaking myself back to reality, I was finally noticed by a graceful white haired girl with wide cerulean eyes. Her bangs grew out a little further than I last remembered.

Her white puffer jacket with female cutting, along with the long pair of skinny jeans and brown gloves. Really compliment her bodily features...

... Basically, she looks great.

"How have you been Souta kun."

"Yes I have been fine!"

...

Awkward silence ensues.

...

"The awards ceremony has been delayed due to some technical faults, it's only expected to be completed at around 4:00 pm." She turned her head away from me, her voice was barely above a whisper.

 _"5:00pm... That's at least a good five hours from now."_

 _"Souta kun, let's go enjoy ourselves at Asakusa. There's so many activities to do, and eat."_

Turning her head back to meet my gaze, I noticed the radiance emitting from her eyes.

I guess mentioning any word related to "food" or "eat" does wonders to her mood.

 _"Err... errr .. I guess..."_

I gave her a sheepish grin as a sign of agreement.

With that, she broke into one of her usual reassuring smiles.

And without warning.

She tugged my arm towards the many shops that dotted Asakusa plaza.

I could tell she was really excited about today. Similarly, I felt uplifted from the emptiness that had been plaguing me these past few weeks.

We explored many shops along the way, ate a different bunch of snacks and desserts. We had conversations about books, anime, manga and anything directly related to our interests. Unlike the usual blank expressions she used to wear, Meteora has been smiling a lot more. An occasional blush would also form on her cheek whenever I complimented her at winning a carnival game, or finding a good bargain. During the course of the date, I found the initial awkwardness being drained away as we spent more time together.

...

" _Souta kun, what is this called_?"

She pointed to a small wooden keychain with a message engraved on it.

" _Oh, that is a is a lucky charm. You will be blessed with luck if you keep this charm wherever you go."_

 _..._

" _I really like how this looks."_

She flipped over the charm to read the engraved message.

 _Your future is bright and certain, you will meet someone who holds you with more value than life itself. He will be your anchor and a major source of your happiness. At the same time, he will love you and protect you as though you mean the world to him._

I turned to Meteora to see her expression.

A pink blush was forming on her cheeks.

...

" _We have been walking around for quite a while. I think it is in our best interest to find a place to rest!"_ She suggested outloud.

Her voice was gradually getting softer, and she was starting to stammer.

As though she was afraid of something.

" _I am pretty tired, why not let's find a place to rest."_

I asked in an attempt to distract her.

She returned her gaze at me once more, nodding slowly in agreement.

...

We returned to our original meetup location.

The crowd at Asakusa has seem to have died down. It was becoming more quiet and serene.

Just the way I likes it.

"Souta kun..."

I turned my head to face her.

Large blue cerulean orbs met brown ones.

 _"Ever since the creations returned to their original worlds. I have only felt loneliness being the only one left behind. I didn't really want to tell the rest at that time simply because It would trouble them..."_

I remained silent throughout so as not to interrupt her.

 _"I turned to writing novels as a way to distract myself as it has been really enjoyable for me. However writing is a very lonely profession, and I wake up everyday wishing somebody was there to accompany me every step of the way."_

Meteora paused for a while.

 _"I am really being selfish am I..."_

She was trying her best to hold back her sobs.

I could not bear to watch and had to turn away.

 _"No you are not. Please continue..."_

 _"Souta kun, you are a person with a good heart. You willingly put your life on the line to help us against Altair, time and time again. Despite how useless and weak you felt, you were always out there to prove your worth, it demonstrates your fighting spirit."_

 _"I want to be your pillar of support, like how you were always a pillar of mine.."_

 _"After all..."_

Turning her face and eyes to meet mine.

Her gentle cerulean blue eyes.

Her soft smile.

...

...

...

 _"I really really ... like you."_

 _"...Like you."_

Her wide,sleepy cerulean eyes studied my face, as though trying to read my emotions.

She gave me a smile that looked thirty times sweeter than honey.

Meteora leaned forward.

Closing the distance between our faces.

...

The kiss was soft, shaky and brief.

But it felt so right.

If only it had been been longer.

...  
...

Separating, she looked away as though embarrassed at the recent development.

She was blushing hard.

" I am really sorry... I did not mean too..."

...

 _The smell of wildflowers huh, Brings back memories._

 _..._

 _Oh souta, you and your unhealthy obsession with anime characters. It seems as though you always wanted an anime.. Waifu was it?_

Words of Kou echoed in my head.

 _..._

Screw this.

My heart is raging out of control.

I wrapped my hands around her delicate waist, causing her to spin around in surprise.

"Souta, what are you..."

I buried my lips into hers.

Savoring the feeling of my lips against hers.

Returning the softness that she initially gave me.

We separated again slowly, taking her hand in mine.

Her hand was small and smooth to the touch, how her palm fit mine. How her delicate fingers managed to slide snugly between my own.

...

 _This is one chance to make your ideal relationship come through and you are just gonna live in denial like that? Thats pretty unbecoming for a guy that saved the world._

...

I took in a deep breath, preparing myself for what was about to come.

Acquiring newfound courage, I was finally able to confess whatever has been bothering the back of my mind this whole time.

 _"Meteora, I want to be part of your world. There are so many days I just miss talking to you, being with you..."_

I turned my head to face her inquisitive look. I smiled reassuringly at her.

 _"Everyday without you has just been really empty. To make it worst, I constantly told lies to myself and lived in denial. I assumed that this emptiness was attributed to the departure of all the other creations, and I did not want the fun times we had to end so quickly."_

I took a quick breather and rubbed my wet tears away.

I look back in awe at my new girlfriend.

I took a moment to appreciate beauty that was Meteora Osterrich, with her straightforward and emotionless front. At times however, she is capable displaying complex emotions. She is way too smart and calculative. And the way she gorges on her food like a pig, it's really cute.

 _"Meteora, you make my life complete."_

We leaned against each other for a long time. Her body moving subtly from her soft breathing.

I wish I could stay like this forever.

With the sunlight faded away, the cold has started to pick up. The people around Asakusa plaza picked up their footsteps, scurrying for shelter to avoid the icy, stinging winds that follow. In no time, the plaza was empty of people, only the sound of the water fountain could be heard.

I looked at my watch.

4.00pm

We should get going.

I gently nudged Meteora, signalling her that it was time to go. Gently grabbing her hand, I helped her to her feet before encircling our fingers together.

"I will bring you to where the awards ceremony is Souta."

She walked first, tugging my hand along with her.

I could not help but grin to myself.

It was warm, and it felt right

The Awards Ceremony was taking place inside a ballroom at the Asakusa Convention Center.

Being one of the first few to arrive, I managed to secure Meteora and myself the best possible seats facing the stage. I managed to catch sight of a familiar white haired figure with dark green eyes walking past me.

 _"Kou!"_

Upon hearing the voice, He spun around and grinned widely at me. He held his arm up to shoulder length while bending his elbow upwards to signal a gesture of hello.

 _"My, who do we have here!"_

 _"Meteora, this is my best friend Kou. Kou, Meteora."_

 _"Pleasure to meet you Kou."_

Meteora gave a bow.

Kou turned his head to me, nudging at me with a mischievous smile.

 _"Congrats Souta, hehehehe."_

I could not help but feel a pinch of annoyance.

 _"Anyways, what are you doing here? Its not like you are interested in books or any..."_

" _Emilia, where have you been?"_

Kou wandered out loud, interrupting my question at the same time.

...

I was further irritated by this intrusion.

...

Meteora and I turned our gazes to the approaching navy blue haired girl.

 _"Kou, I thought you went to find seats..."_

...

 _"Well I saw my good Ol buddy over here, hope you don't mind."_

...

 _"Ugh, now all the good seats are taken..."_

She complained, looking around frantically in a desperate attempt to identify any well positioned vacant seats.

I was pretty amazed at how quickly the seats were occupied.

...

Emilia's sudden exclamation once again broke my thoughts.

...

 _"Oh my Gosh! Is this Meteora Osterrich?! I have read and researched so much about you! I really love your work and your newest book Re: Creators, its so fascinating and intriguing..."_

The quiet and reserved Emilia Kou and I usually knew in school sure does talk a lot outside.

Grabbing her wrists, she went uncomfortably close to her, studying her face as detailedly as possible.

I could tell Meteora was slightly in distress.

 _"Emilia san, I think it is close enough."_ Meteora said.

"Alright Emilia! It's time to go..."

Kou heaved a sigh, clasped emilia's hand and separated her from Meteora.

 _"I will see you later okay!"_

She waved her free arm energetically before disappearing into the crowd along with him.

Meteora smiled as a sign of relief.

 _"She's a really nice person, this is the second time someone told me that they appreciate my work..."_

Turning to me she continued.

 _"... The first being you, of course."_

I couldn't help but blush at her comment.

 _"Well Meteora, being a successful writer means having lots of fans appreciating your work..."_

I turned around, distracted by the dimming of lights around the ballroom.

 _"...I guess its starting!"_

Taking our seats, waiting anxiously for the awards ceremony to officially begin.

 _"And the Winning title of the Denko Publishing Book Award goes to none other than..."_

 _...Re: Creators! By Meteora Osterrich!"_

Applause roared from the audience.

Rising from her seat, Meteora made her way to the stage to receive her award. I couldn't resist rising up to give my applause to congratulate her, even though I was the only one standing up and was momentarily subjected to stares by part of the audience around me. Meteora was presented a golden book trophy by the president of Denko Publishing himself, followed up with a garland of flowers around her neck. She then proceeded to face the audience and raise the trophy up in the air to symbolize a sign of achievement and appreciation towards the audience.

This time, the entire audience rose to their feet, giving off deafening cheers and applause.

As she looked across my direction, I caught her attention by waving a thumbs up sign.

 _Congratulations, you did great!_

This would be one of the most defining moments of her life.

And I am so proud of her.

Meteora and I decided not to stay the full duration of the ceremony. Making our exit slightly before the sun settled. We also somehow managed to bump into Kou and Emilia along the way out, thus being the gentleman I always am, I convinced them to join us for dinner.

Dinner wasn't any fancy in particular. We headed back to the Shine District Cafe. The little shopping tour Meteora and I did around Asakusa Plaza earlier rendered us pretty broke, so we had no choice but to go for more economical options.

...

"I will just have the chicken burger and potato wedges please."

...

"Meteora, it's your turn to order."

"I will have umm umm umm."

"Umm..."

"The cheeseburger, yakisoba, french toasts with ice cream, banana split and the deep fried cheese sticks..."

I stared at her, amazed at her monstrous appetite.

...

We took our seats at a windowside table and waited for our orders to arrive.

 _"Wow the golden book trophy... If only my novel made it through."_

While Emilia was wincing at her defeat,while Kou was unsuccessfully trying to console her.

" _Hey Emi, at least you got the silver award_."

...

Meteora rose from her chair, ungloved her hand and extended her arm towards Emilia.

" _Emilia san, when the next writing competition comes about, lets give it our all."_

Emilia clasped Meteora's hand with a firm handshake.

" _Why of course! I would love a challenge, after all it would make beating you all the more fun!"_

 _Wow... She kinda shares the same confidence level Kou does._

After dinner, Kou and Emilia departed. We then proceeded to find ourselves a bench at a nearby park. I collapsed on the bench exhausted from the day's events while Meteora gracefully took her seat beside me.

It has been an eventful day.

Finally have peace and quiet all to ourselves.

 _" Thanks for everything today Souta, it was really unforgettable."_

...

" _No its not me alone, you made the day really enjoyable for me as well."_

 _..._

It was getting late, we ought to get going.

I didnt want her to leave so quickly, I wanted this feeling to last forever.

Dammit.

 _Good times will eventually come to an end._

Turning my head to meet hers, we gazed at each other with a sense of longing. She looked at me hoping that I could make the first move.

However I could not find the guts to do so.

Meteora eventually got a little impatient. Blushing, her hands gently cupped my cheek and lower jaw.

And brought my face into hers for a long soft kiss.

The kiss accompanied with her aromatic scent felt electrifying.

 _She tastes pretty good_.

My hands found the way to the back of her hips. Pulling her close to me, we remained at this position for a long time, not wanting to let go. She then curled herself into fetal position, facing me and leaning her head against my lap.

 _"Souta, what do you think will be our next adventure?"_

She asked nonchalantly while playing with frills of my hair.

...

 _"Hmm... How about Prom? After all I am graduating this year."_

I blurted out a bit too excitedly.

...

 _"Wow I am so honored to be the dance partner of the man who save the world."_

I snickered as her statement.

...

She placed her index finder at her chin, eyes deep in thought.

Meteora was definitely up to something.

...

 _"Alright, I will agree to be your partner for prom. However you will not be allowed to see my prom dress until the actual event itself."_

...

 _EHHHHH...That's not fair at all!_

Meteora flicked on her hand-phone, her eyes widened momentarily.

"Its getting late Souta, I will see you another time."

She dived her head next to mine for a quick peck, before running in the direction of the train station.

 _Thank you for being the first one to declare your feelings to me._

 _For your feelings alone empower my life with purpose._

 _You made me whole again._


	4. Culmination

Whoever invented the concept of University Examinations should be put to death in the most gruesome way possible.

Many wondered why Japan at one point held the second highest suicide rates amongst all the first world countries. Well, if You were to enclose myself in a room surrounded with dozens of notes, assignments and practice papers, do not be alarmed if they start talking to you. Its probably a sign of stress driving you to insanity, at that point suicide becomes a much more pleasing option...

A book flew across the room, ramming onto my forehead.

" _You are daydreaming Souta kun, please concentrate on the task at hand."_

I looked across at Meteora.

 _"Aye, sorry!"_

I gave a sheepish smile.

Meteora decided to accompany me during my mugging session to ensure that I stood focused on my revision. She brought her laptop along as well to concoct new books while watching over me. My mother was skeptical about sharing a room with someone of the opposite sex, and I had a challenging time to convince her that we weren't up to no good.

I am thankful she finally saw otherwise.

Meteora scooted closely next to my side, taking my hand in hers, carrying a worried expression.

 _"If you finish your assignments today, we should..."_

...

She whispered something into my ears causing my eyes to widen.

" _Thanks for reminding me Meteora, I almost had forgotten about it."_

With the last of my assignments completed, we made our way over to an all too familiar part of town. Contrary to the clutter and noise of the city, this place was isolated and silent. The air around us felt unnerving, almost haunting.

We were surrounded by the ashes of dead people.

I gripped onto Meteora's hand a little tighter for additional comfort, she caught my gesture by surprise, causing pink flecks to form around her cheeks.

Cemeteries were never my strong suite.

...

Stopping in front of Setsuna's gravestone, I basked in the waves of nostalgia, reliving the pleasant memories  
in my mind.

 _It has been a year, Setsuna._

" _Souta Kun, I have to use the washroom first. Please go on without me first, I will catch up."_

...

 _"Um, alright then."_

...

Hearing the sound of footsteps, my curiosity forced my body to turn.

I was not expecting another person to be here.

Her figure was taller than that of an average woman. She wore an oversize grey coat and has a pretty slim figure, accompanied by a black baseball cap and two long metallic silver pigtails trailing down all the way to her legs.

She lifted up her baseball cap, revealing her red and blue irises.

 _"It has been awhile Souta?"_

I could not believe it.

Altair...

She felt different from before. Her eyes no longer burnt with hatred or pain. Now, her presence emanated an aura of serenity and tranquility.

...

 _"If this is about the Chamber Elimination..."_

I was petrified, what if she was here for revenge. It would be my retribution for using underhanded, cowardly tactics against her.

I was at the mercy of her mere presence.

 _Stop Souta, stop panicking._

...

No, she did not come to pick a fight. If she did, I would be on the floor, blood drenched in a matter of seconds.

...

Awkward, unnerving silence filled the air around us.

...

Altair broke the tension with a casual shrug.

 _I am not here to kill you._

Attempting to break the ice between us, she dug her hands into her pocket and pulled out a letter.

 _"This is from Setsuna, she wants you to have it."_

Altair smiled, handing over the letter.

For a person that wanted to turn this world inside out. Her smile was strangely pleasant.

 _" How did you even get here?"_

 _"Holopiscon, I don't think I need to explain any further do I."_

Part of me wanted to treat her like an absolute stranger. After all, I could not stand to face the killer of my close friends.

...

 _"I am...Sorry for everything."_

She continued, head tilted up towards the sky.

I was slightly triggered by her apology.  
...

 _"Your apologies will change nothing."_

...

She walked past me, now standing next to me.

 _"I know, but my actions will in due time."_

I swerved my body around, fists clenched in frustration from all the events that had transpired. I wanted to yell at her, to vent out my irritation and lung sharp, poisonous words at her...

She vanished.

I looked at the letter half crumpled up by my hands.

What was she trying to get at?  
_

I returned to the entrance of the cemetery and found Meteora seated on a park bench reading her book.

 _"So how did it go?"_

...

 _"You knew Altair will be there didn't you?"_

...

Meteora closed her book and placed both her hands on the cover.

 _"She had something important to warn us about. I did ask her about it but she only wanted to speak to you."_

...

I took my seat alongside her. Meteora, sensing my confusion and anxiety, gently took my hand in hers.

I used my other free hand to flip open the letter.

 _Dear Souta,_  
 _I hope you have been coping well with your exams. You might be wondering how I knew? Well, Altair's Holopiscon is really convenient for just about anything. You might think I am dead, but actually pretty much alive but just in an alternate word; Heaven if you would like to call it! I might be planning to meet you one day, but for now I am pretty busy with this new world of hers, it's pretty robust. Anyways I hope that you will excel in the University entrance examinations and also, all the best with Ms Meteora as well!_  
 _Yours sincerely,_  
 _Shimazaki Setsuna._

I slipped the letter into my pocket and heaved a few heavy breaths. Placing both my hands on Meteora's shoulders, I stared into her eyes with newfound determination. Confused by my actions, she gently caress my face with her palm to ensure that it was real.

 _After all, it was rare of me to ever exude confidence._

...

 _"You both have always motivated me, this time I promise I will perform well enough to secure a university placing of my choice, and follow that up with a career that will make you proud of who I am..."_

That declaration sounded really cringe worthy, sending Meteora into a chuckle.

I sighed, this is embarrassing.

 _"Shimazaki has always pushed me to overcome my limits. While I was reading her letter, it felt as though I made a promise to her; To do my best for you. And that is what I am going to do..."_

Before I could continue, Meteora pressed her lips against mine, coercing me to dig my lips deeper into hers. I took a quick whiff of her scent before putting some distance between us. Although the kiss was brief, I could not resist bringing my hand to caress her face, appreciating every inch of beauty that was Meteora Osterrich.

Meteora wiped her tears with her sleeve, then proceeded to embrace me in her warmth.

 _"Just remember to draw up some illustrations for my novels after your exams okay?"_

 _..._

 _I loved her, and I want to do my best for her._

 _..._

 _"Of course, Meteora."_

University entrance examinations were finally a thing of the past.

With the pressure of exams nothing but a distant memory, I had all the time in the world to start expelling my pent up creative urges. However, staying cooped up at home got Kou a little upset, thus he decided to drop by my house occasionally to spend the afternoon with me.

" _Hey Souta, Sebastian asked me to pass you this."_

I took the card from his hands and read its contents.

" _He is pretty fast at organizing prom isn't he."_

I snapped a photo of it with my phone and forwarded it to Meteora.

Kou ignored my comment and focused his gaze unto the computer screen instead, inspecting my drawings like a fine curator he thinks he is.

...

 _"Wow your artwork is so much more comprehendible now, I remembered when it used to be a bunch of scribbles and coloring mashed together. If you'd ask me, I'd say it's pretty good!"_

 _..._

 _"I am creating illustrations for Meteora's award winning novel."_

I jokingly gloated at him.

...

" _That was not why I came her today Souta, I am taking you to buy your prom suit! It's about time you man up to your girl and learn to dress for the occasion!"_

 _..._

 _"Wha..."_

...

Next thing I knew, I was at Shinjuku with Kou picking out a suit for myself.

 _Shinjuku, being a prominent fashion shopping district is easily one of the busiest wards in Tokyo. Giant malls dominated the center of the ward connected by the infamous "Shinjuku Crossing". Everyday whether rain or shine, hot or cold, large masses of people would seemingly flow around the streets. Enriching the area with endless life and abundant energy._

...

 _"Will this work"_  
 _"Nah"_  
 _"How about this"_  
 _"Nah"_  
 _"This?"_  
 _"Nah"_  
 _"Your aren't my mom, stop being like her."_  
 _"Shush, none of the outfits suit you at all."_

...

I was beginning to lose hope, I had tried on a handful of suits but they were nowhere near Kou's overwhelmingly demanding criteria. Either the colors never compliment one another, or the proportions did not match me. Finally, I managed to lift Kou's eyebrow by picking out a chestnut brown suit, a white shirt, and an accompanying red tie.

...

 _"I hope Meteora will like this."_

...

 _"She will like you for whatever you are wearing, if you truly believe that she is who you think she is."_

My mind was still wondering about how stunning Meteora will look.

Meteora was beautiful beyond words.

From the last time I saw her, her snow white hair has grown to shoulder length. Furthermore, it had become puffier and lighter with her left bangs covering her eye. The dress she wore was nothing short of magnificent. It had mellow sapphire hues with strong turquoise along the fringes and hem. The dress had left her shoulders bare while a portion of the gown extended below her her right leg, leaving her left leg exposed from the lower thigh section, revealing her featureless, cream colored leg.

I was so dazzled by her appearance, I did not notice her closing the distance until I felt her breath against mine.

"So...How do I look?"

She scanned the upper portion of my suit and felt that my tie was slightly out of place. She fiddled with my tie, trying to adjust it.

...

 _If I had not practiced that much self restraint and or had remotely objectified women, my inner demons would have convinced my body to perform countless acts to satisfy my insatiable lusts._

She shyly tilted her head aside, waiting on my judgement.

...

" _You look like my lady tonight Meteora, beautiful."_

I could not help but leave a brief peck on her cheek, causing her to look into my eyes in surprise.

...

 _"Emilia picked it for me, she has such an insightful fashion sense so I figured that approaching her was the right thing to do. I am thankful you liked it."_

 _..._

 _"I should send my thanks to her as well, for making you this gorgeous."_

...

I took her hand in mine, as an invitation to enter the ballroom.

...

(AN: Play Brave The Ocean by Hiroyuki Suwano from here for the full effect :))

Prom was unexpectedly more eventful than I had imagined it to be.

We started off my introducing our Prom partners. Everyone was flabbergasted that that a shy, nerdy, bookworm could court such a fine lady. Many of the girls, started jumping to bizarre conclusions on our first contact while the guys gave me the dirty look, signalling to me if I had done anything off the rule-book. These social gestures piqued Meteora's interest. Knowing that her overly honest responses would result in catastrophic disaster, I had to interject and attempt damage control.

 _"We have done nothing of that sort, and we were able to meet purely out of luck, that's all."_

I waved both my palms in defense. While maintaining a straight face to show my _extreme_ seriousness. Thankfully, they seemed to accept my answer and proceeded to another unlucky soul along the table.

Moving on, we had conversation topics constantly flung across the table, feeding our table with an endless supply of laughter and jokes.

Meteora seemed to be having fun too. Even though she was silent unless asked a question, she would proceed to display her profound knowledge on the subject by giving a long expository talk rendering half the table half asleep.

The prom games concocted by the hosts were equally immersive and entertaining . Our group were always on our feet, trying to outperform the other groups in any given activity. Our efforts were eventually rewarded with the overall champion.

Kou was beyond ecstatic, rushing up the stage to pop the winner's champagne. Unfortunately for him, Emilia was caught within the trajectory of its contents for a brief moment, but it was enough to soak her in alcohol.

The crowd gave a loud "OOOOOHHH." In response to the tragic calamity that had befallen Kou.

Emilia seemed plentifully annoyed at first glance, glaring at Kou with looks that kill. However, it would be unbecoming of the student council president to treat one of its student counterparts with such vile hostility...

Scratch that, she proceeded up stage to face Kou, seemingly about to give him a piece of her mind.

The ballroom was silent.

Kou's expression was outright priceless. I could tell he was really regretfully of his actions.

Her stares shifted from pure menace to those of deep affection. Emilia's eyes widened, admiring's Kou's handsome facial features. Her cheeks grew rosier as she went closer to Kou. She slowly removed her beret and held it at her cheek level. Thereafter grabbed kou's collar and pulled him in to meld her lips with his.

The groans in the crowd would be replaced with cheers if Emilia didn't choose to hide her kiss behind the beret, pity the audience.

Emilia lowered her beret and leaned her forehead against kou's. Her blushing was getting intense, as though she was losing control of her emotions. As Emilia's ruby red orbs met Kou's lime green ones. She delicately murmured something to him, leaving kou with the widest smile I have ever seen him in.

 _I love you_.

Deafening applause filled the ballroom, energetic screams and cheers from the student councilors table as well.

...

No one could argue that the highlight of prom night was none other than the dance.

Finding our space on the dance floor, the lights dimmed, serenading music started playing in the background. Setting the perfect ambience for a dance with our partners.

For now, it was just the two of us.

We moved along in step, hands gently bound together, rising and falling in accordance with the step.

 _"Souta, would you rather be dancing with Shimazaki Setsuna...?"_

I chuckled at her statement, Meteora was jealous of Setsuna. As amusing at it is, I was a little upset that he thought I have not gotten over her.

Taking a step towards Emilia's direction, It's about time I decided to tell Meteora how much she meant to me.

I stayed quiet for a while, trying to phrase my words and accumulate as much confidence as I could.

" _Setsuna is my inspiration, someone I admired dearly for her humility and skill. Unlike her, you are the person I am in love with. I love the Way you portray yourself, I love your straightforwardness and nonchalant behavior. I love the way you get excited over food. I love the way you project your incredible knowledge and I love the way you constantly encouraged me to do my best; How you inspire me to create. I love everything there is to say about you and nothing in this world will ever change that. I love you Meteora Osterrich."_

I told her with one breath.

Meteora gave a subtle smirk, and resumed her usual straight face.

 _"I guess engagement and marriage can come later but I will have to deal with being your loving girlfriend for now."_

How could her response still be so flat even after my heartwarming confession, I stared at her with a dumbfounded expression.

Meteora let out a laugh for the first time, her laugh was soft and silky. I guess my ears found a new addiction.

Wiping away the moisture from her eyes. She leaned in towards me, elbows gently against my shoulders.

...  
...

Meanwhile somewhere outside the prom hall, a lone figure perched himself at a nearby rooftop. He was dressed in black, camouflaging himself into the night sky. He sat on the roof barrier, legs dangling dangerously over thin air, observing the movement of the ballroom with the use of complex optical sights.

Taking a puff of his cigarette, he begin to dial.

A voice with thick irish accent was heard over the other end.

 _"Hound reporting in, Status?"_

He was getting impatient.

The man on the roof curled into a predatory smile.

" _Wolf to Hound, I have the target in my sights. She seems to be accompanied by a young boy with brown hair in a chestnut suit and red necktie, he wears brown spectacles as well."_

...

 _"This is hound, roger that. Target has been marked, we are prepared for direct action. Provide eyes-on the target at all times and update us accordingly, out."_

...

Down below, the ballroom lights were ceasing, indicating that the prom night has officially came to a close. As an act of a true gentleman, I decided to accompany Meteora home as it was already quite late at night.

The streets around us slowly became increasingly deserted. The air was chilly, giving me an ominous vibe. Dense fog surrounded us, obscuring our visibility to a mere ten meter radius.

The shuffling of footsteps were becoming more prominent.

For whatever weird reason, it felt as though something bad may happen...

And I may have jinxed it.

Shadowy figures emerged from the fog to reveal themselves. There were three guys in black coats and black balaclavas. Each of them were armed with a metal baseball bat. They stared at us with malicious intent; Like a predator that had found its prey.

I shifted in front of Meteora, taking on a defensive stance in a feeble attempt to ward off the attackers.

The armed men in black laughed hysterically and proceeded to move in for the kill.

Thump  
Thump  
Thump

My heartbeat became erratic, my stance was losing its firmness.

I was overwhelmed with fear.

Meteora on the other hand, stood composed and observed her surroundings merticulously, analyzing details and a possible escape route.

...

There was none, at least I couldn't see one.

Leaving no option, she did the most courageous thing any woman could have done in this situation.

She held out her hands, signalling at the thugs to stop coming closer.

 _"Please stop, from your expressions it is evident that you guys had only came only for me. I will go with you..."_

She turned to me with slightly sad eyes _._

 _"...But please let him go."_

They lowered their weapons and approached Meteora. A tall and well built man grabbed hold of Meteora's wrist and cuffed it to his.

I wanted to reach out my hand to take hers, but I could not. I wanted to lung forward and fight back. However my fear and anxiety were too overwhelming, I was helplessly frozen in place. Unable to muster the courage to react. I only watched them roughly dragged her further into the fog, further away from me.

" _Stay strong Souta kun..."_

Those were the last words I heard from her.

The fog dissipated around me, they were gone.

I collapsed and kneeled down, looking at my hands with tears endlessly streaming down my face.

 _"Why am I so weak?"_

...

I limped my way back to my home, first things first was to contact the police. I opened the door and entered my living room, reaching out for the telephone on the coffee table...

A firm hand caught my wrist.

" _I do not suggest doing that yet, Souta_."

I turned around to face that familiar voice. The figure was seated on the coffee chair next to me, however since the lights were off, I was only able to identify the silhouette.

The stranger looked like a tall and slim girl with two long pigtails.

 _Almost too familiar..._

Bracing myself for what was to come. I smashed the wall switch out of anxiety, illuminating the living room.

 _"What are you doing here Altair?"_

 _..._

 __END__

 **Side stories 1. (Canon)**

"Altair...Why are you so sad?"

Setsuna was worried. Altair has not eaten for days, and Setsuna would only find her staring at the sky from her balcony.

It felt as though she was searching for something.

Setsuna, annoyed by Altair ignoring her question, started ransacking her room and rummaging through all her belongings. Altair was flabbergasted by the scene she was making and had to pry Setsuna away from her drawers before she made a mess out of her room.

It was a little too late for Altair, Setsuna found the root of her problems.

Setsuna kneeled there with stars in her eyes and an amused grin on her face, slowly swinging a dating magazine in the air.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

Altair's voice was filled with pure horror.  
With her face blushing from embarrassment, she tried to grab the magazine back from Setsuna's nimble arms, but to no avail. Setsuna grinned mischievously, waving her index finger to her as a sign of disapproval.

 _"My little girl is all grown up, and now she wants a boyfriend, hee hee."_

Altair sat down, burying her face in her knees, indicating her surrender.

This development worried Setsuna to a great degree. She looked away, deep in thought.

" _She is in so much distress..."_

Altair tilted her head sideways to face Setsuna.

...

" _That is not the pressing issue right now..."_

Altair was wincing, confessing her vulnerabilities were never her strong suite to begin with.

" _The companionship and kinship I witnessed was during the Chamber Elimination Festival, when everyone teamed up against me. Apparently watching all the creations work together as a collective is truly admirable, I want to experience being part of a team like that. Sometimes it just feels so lonely, I don't know who else I am living for besides you."_

Altair buried her face in her knees again to hide her embarrassment.

" _If I don't have a team, at least a partner like the ones in those magazines, they look so content, so satisfied unlike me..."_

Setsuna could not resist but giggle at her reply.

" _Hey please don't think so lowly of my abilities, I created you to score with many guys..."_

Altair's face burned with even more embarrassment at that comment.

" _Well if you want to, you can redeem yourself to Souta. He will make a fine friend for you just as he was for me."_

Setsuna got up and left the room, she had a few errands she had to attend to, leaving Altair alone in the room once more.

She buried her face into her knees again, this time deep in thought.

 _"What does it mean to be a friend to someone else?"_

 __END__


	5. Actualisation

Altair stood across the living room, against the glistening night gazing through the window panes.

The charcoal black suit, medallion yellow tie, and off-white inner shirt gave me the impression of a detective.

Her arms were folded facing me, as though impatiently demanding a response.

" _Meteora is in danger, is she not?"_

She repeated her words, this time even more articulate.  
 _..._

 _"I figured as much Souta, you were too weak to protect her."_

Altair's eyes narrowed with sadism, lips twisting to her trademark smirk. Her usual condescending expressions would have been intimidating. This time however, it has only led to irritate me even further.

I was angry, I was desperate. Driven into a corner with nothing left to lose. All that anguish clouding my mind with spiteful thoughts...

 _I cannot be bothered with you anymore._

 _How can you laugh at a time like this?_

 _I really hate you._

I charged forward out of pure rage, flinging a left hook at Altair's direction.

The hook found its target. My hardened fist knuckled Altair's right cheek, sending Altair soaring to the window and crashing with a sickening thud, sprawling against the wall.

I stared at my hand in disbelief, unable to comprehend what I just did.

Punching Altair; Its like begging for suicide.

...

Altair supported herself back up using the windowsill. Dismissing what might have been traces of pain that lingered on her face.

 _"How does it feel, to throw a punch at your enemy? Feels good doesn't it."_

There was a hint of maniacal laughter in her voice rendered me immobilized by fear, sending beads of icy perspiration down my forehead.

...

Altair gingerly studied my expression, and came to a conclusion.

Enough was enough.

She exhaled deeply, deciding to cease the intimidating gestures. There will be ample time to fool around later, but for now she was satisfied.

 _"At least, You finally have the balls to take physical action."_

She retorted, this time with venom absent from her voice

...

 _"Do not get the wrong idea, I could have easily deflected that. I just feel indebted to you as of now."_

...

Curiosity and anger unleashed tempests across my mind once more, any form of rational thinking once again overshadowed by pure desperation. Leads, answers, clues, I demanded them all.

 _"Yeah, you owe me one hell of an explanation too. What the fuck is going on?!"_

Even my words themselves started to reek of poison. After all, I was engulfed by pure bitterness, clenching my teeth to the point I could taste blood.  
...

Altair turned her body around to face the window, while tilting her head over her shoulder. She took a deep breath, a signal for me to brace.

 _"Its seems I was too late to save her from her captors."_

Her responses had only further added salt to my wounds.  
...

 _"I sensed Meteora's weakening presence, thus I concluded that something was amiss. I am here to sought out whoever was responsible for this transgression and make him suffer for it. I am only here to assist you in recovering Meteora simply because I turned your life upside down. It is only fair that I fully repay for my misdeeds in the past."_

...

 _"Why couldn't you predicted the events of last night with your all knowing Holopiscon."_  
...

 _"Setsuna wanted me to learn from weakness, she told me that weakness make people stronger. I did not understand what she meant, but I trust her wholeheartedly. Thus any Holopiscon ability related to plot alteration have been suppressed by her, one of the many being the Twenty Third Movement Of Cosmos: Fate Reconstruction. I am thus unable to save Meteora from such a fate."_

I had a gut feeling that Altair could only bear to tell me part of the truth.

 _..._

 _"I thought the Holopiscon was the omnipotent."_  
 _..._

 _"In the end, the omnipotent still lost to fate."_

Altair slumped against the sofa, resting her eyes and massaging her nose bridge. For the first time, Altair felt vulnerable...

...She felt genuinely human.

 _"It was decided by fate itself that your universe be saved. Ridding your world of such a godlike entity was a near impossible feat. However somehow, somewhat I was successfully driven away from your world. The means of how this was achieved does not matter at this current state."_

I caught a glimpse of malice in her eyes upon the mentioning her last line.

 _"We all have different names for it: Meteora called it a miracle, I called it fate. in the end they are simple concepts to justify the ends."_

Altair stood up and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze.  
The feeling was unsettling, coming directly from Altair.

 _"Gather some of your friends that might be willing to help you. We will recover Meteora."_

 _"I promise."_

...

 _"It is getting late, keep calm and let us start the investigation tomorrow. If the burden is too much, I will help you sleep tonight."_

Was she hinting at something dirty?  
...

She speedily closed the distance between us and ram her hand against the back of my head, causing me to black out.

I regretted my words immediately.

I found myself drifting along a dark, desolate space, with dozens of pictures of Meteora drifting around me. Many of the photos contained the fond memories and experiences we shared together. I studied the pictures, letting the warmth spread throughout my body.

I wish these moments could last forever.

At that moment, something snapped.

The photograph images were distorted; Changing to something else leaving me horror stricken.

Meteora was in pain, fatally wounded by the three thugs we encountered that night.

The pictures violently shrouded me from all directions. Neither could I move nor breathe as the photographs tightly encased me like a coffin.

A flicker of a lighter could be seen. That small flame instantaneously erupting into a blazing inferno, engulfing me in searing heat.

The world around me turned white in a heartbeat.

...

8.00 am...

I shot up from my bed hyperventilating with sweat profusely dripping down my forehead. Both my hands wrapped around my body, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

Stop panicking, its just another nightmare.

...

Familiar voices could be heard in the background, breaking my train of thoughts.

The voices led me to the living room, where Kou, Emilia and Altair were seated. They were engaged in an intense discussion until they noticed my presence. It was then the living room became silent.

Emilia's eyes were teary, her face crimson from all the crying. She approached me and embraced me in a hug, trying to comfort me.

 _"I promise that we will do whatever it takes to get Meteora back."_

" _Thanks Emilia san"_

...

Kou followed it up with a shoulder hug.

 _"Hey bud! We heard you needed help so I decided to make sure you are alright, anyways this hot Anime pigtail girl aka Altair has filled us in...And dam! Souta where do you keep finding all these anime girls anyways..."_

Altair widened her eyes in surprise with faded specks of pink dust surfacing around her cheeks. I assumed it was the first time anyone had complimented her appearance.

Unfortunately much to Emilia's annoyance, Kou was rewarded with a pinch to the ear.

I gave a him feeble smile as a sign of thanks. After all, he was trying his best to alleviate my mood

I took my seat next to Altair who was busy polishing her sabre with a cloth.

 _..._

Altair rose from her seat and placed her sabre on the table, the sharp edge gleaming menacingly at my direction.

 _"Meteora will always have a plan, no matter how desperate the situation is."_

Altair turned to me.

 _"You were the only one with her that night at that time, please recall all of the events of last night."_

...

Closing my eyes, I began to reimagine the traumatic experience within my mind.

 _The threats by the armed men_

 _The fog obscuring vision_

 _Meteora tugging my coat before departing from me._

 _Tugging my coat.._

...

My eyes lit up at a sudden realisation.

I dashed to my wardrobe, pulling out my coat and laying it out on the table. Stretching out the creases and ploughing through every nook and cranny with my fingers.

A stiff bump along caught my attention. I dug through the pocket and managed to retrieve Meteora's hair clip.

I was relieved beyond words.  
At first glance, there was nothing odd about the hairclip.

It was usual white circular hairclip Meteora always wore, with a pair of blue lines curving into an arc opposite each other and blue ribbons trailing down the sides. I flipped it back and fourth, inspecting the hairclip with great detail.

...

Having no luck, I passed the hairclip to Emilia who was sitting next to me.

...

 _"The left part of the hairclip looks a little distorted for a circle no?"_

Emilia pointed out.

...

Thats right.

The leftmost blue line of the hairclip were slightly out out of place, as though separated by a thin line.

I pried it open on the coffee table, causing a small black box with a USB tip and blinking red LED to eject from within it.

Altair looked at the device with amusement.

 _"Its the tracker to keep the whereabouts of the creations in check during that incident. Meteora, ever so sly, cheating the system. She probably kept the receiver with her and had given us the tracker."_

Emilia loaded the black box into her tablet.

" _Let me see what I can do with it."_

A window appeared on the screen. Displaying letters X and Y paired with a set of numbers that were changing at random.

 _"Map coordinates, and from the speed at which the numbers are changing. Shes currently in a vehicle, probably in transit."_

" _How do you even?"_

Kou and I watched with our mouths opened in awe.

 _"I have many hobbies Souta kun, to compliment my hectic school schedule, one of them is writing. The other being programming. Time is precious and I have to use every ounce of it to improve myself."_

She refocused her gaze onto the tablet, fingers nimbly navigating around with the map data on her screen, scanning through multiple applications and keying complex inputs into the system.

...

 _"The vehicle has stopped along one of the warehouses at Minato Ward, I have pinpointed the location on the map as follows. This application gives access to the heat cameras in that area. Fortunately, there are no heat signatures within the vicinity."_

She laid the tablet on the table, grinning triumphantly.

Altair swiped across the screen, meticulously surveying the map features. Thereafter, returned the tablet to Emilia and clapped her hands once, materializing a violin out of thin air.

 _"I understand completely. The warehouse seems to be quite isolated from human activity, lets go and have a look."_

Altair shot up from her seat and mounted her sabre as the bow of the violin.

 _"Wait...do you mind telling us what sort of black magic ya gonna perform first?"_

It was obvious Kou was skeptical about Altair's powers, but Altair couldn't care less, ignoring his pleas and gave Kou her usual smirk.

Altair then whispered the incantations to ignite the spell and struck the violin once.

The whole world around me gradually faded black.  
_

Where am I?

I was bound and gag, lying face down on the cold wet tarmac. lifting my head up, A slightly plump Eurasian man in his thirties was grinning sadistically at me, he reminded me of those common street thugs in old american movies.

He veered his gaze to a large potato sack directly next to him. Its contents moving violently; Attempting to break free. He pulled the sack open and emptied it next to him.

Meteora plunged onto the ground head first, rendering her unconscious immediately. Blood coating her delicate white hair in dark reddish patches.

I watched in pure horror and struggled in a futile attempt to break free of my binds.

Stop this madness.

Please.

The man reached into his jeans pocket and retrieved a switchblade. he brandished the gleaming blade in front of my eyes, gently sliding the cold dead steel against my cheekbone.

He then reached for Meteora's lifeless body and clasped his free arm on her neck, effectively choking her.

 _"If only you weren't so weak."_

That bastard was smirking in delight.

The knife made a sickening, ripping noise across Meteora's throat.

I could only watch her die, as blood seeped endlessly down her limp body.

As though overwhelmed by all the negative emotions in the world coursing through my very being.

Only vengeful, sadistic thoughts crossed my mind. Concocting a multitude of ways this man will suffer in my hands. I promise to make his death slow and agonizing. I swear I will be the harbinger of his demise.

 _"I will kill you."_

...

...

...

Freezing water slammed onto my face.

"Wake up Souta! Are you all right?"

Kou sounds distressed.

 _"Yeah I am, what happened?"_

I was still in the process of catching my breath; Allowing my body to readjust itself back to reality.

 _"Altair did this neat magic trick and then Wazham! Here we are. Knocked us out briefly though. You on the other hand were murmuring stuff that just didn't sound like you at all. I actually got pretty scared!"_

I surveyed the surrounding area which Altair has brought us to. The warehouse was filled with various shipping containers but devoid of any form of human activity. The dimly lit setting and the violent whirls of the ventilator gave off an uneasy atmosphere, as though we were constantly being watched.

 _"There is no one here."_

I whispered, directing my vision towards suspicious points of the warehouse.

 _"Well, the map data pointed to this location. This means that the vehicle should be inside one of these containers."_

Emilia reiterated her point again, this time much more distinctly, combined with a slight tinge of annoyance.

I should not have doubt her. Only God knows how she might manhandle me.

...

Altair placed her finger on her lips, signalling us to stay silent.

 _"Its this one."_

She carved her sword deep into the container and sliced opened an entrance.

...

" _This is not good."_

Altair remarked, traces of disappointment evident from her expression.

Altair picked up a black box from the floor of the container, it was largely similar to the one inside Meteora's hair clip. However, this time it did not have any USB head.

Emilia immediately scanned through her tablet, reaffirming the situation. She then signaled for Emilia to examine her tracking program.

The numbers displayed on the program were static.

 _"Ah a false trail... This bites."_

Kou blurted out, clearly disappointed.

...

Our thought processes were interrupted by the sounds of heavy footsteps.

A hoarse Irish voice rang out, clearly indicating that the person had too much drink.

" _What are you kids doing here? This area is strictly off limits."_

Three middle aged men in blue uniforms carrying hardware tools approached us, perhaps they were maintenance crew in charge of running the warehouse.

Kou, Emilia and I decided to bow apologetically and intended to leave the scene at once.

However, Altair had other plans.

She shot out her palm, promptly stopping us in our tracks. She then relaxed her arms and slid it to her sides, bent her head forward and closed her eyes.

Her actions has left us perplexed.

That was when I noticed, that the way these men held their tools suggested otherwise.

...

 _"Hey, I am warning you to get out now."_

The lrish sounding man sounded furious, but Altair remained at her current state, refusing to move.

Another man issued a similar warning. Unlike the other, his voice was clouded with even greater hostile intent. The other two held their tools like weapons, prepared to take action into their own hands.

The standoff emanated an all too familiar atmosphere of uneasiness.

 _A calm before the storm... That was what it felt like._

...  
Everything happened in an instant.

Altair jerked her head up to face the three men in uniforms. Her eyes widening with what seemed like pure ecstasy, lips lighting up with a vicious, bloodthirsty snarl. Setting her sharpened, jagged teeth perfectly on display.

Consumed by what seemed like the persona of a psychopathic killer.

...

The workers were strickened with fear, shaking uncontrollably where they stood.

...

Altair darted forward with frightening speed, twisting her Saber at unpredictable angles and catching two of the workers completely by surprise. Her strikes were swift and broad, cleanly slicing across their shoulders. The force of her slashes thrusted them against the concrete wall, rendering them unconscious almost instantly.

The slashes were not fatal, but deep enough to render them incapacitated.

...

" _Well they were right about one thing!"_

Despite how the other two workers were effortlessly tossed aside, the Irishman did not seem to care at all. His voice filled with loud and dangerous arrogance

He unsheathed his sledgehammer and charged forward, hoisting his hammer and prepared to deliver a killing blow. As frightening as it seemed for us, Altair rolled her eyes, barely fazed by his aggression.

She simply stuck her foot out to cross his step, causing him to lose balance and stumble forward. She tossed her saber to her other hand, caught the worker by the throat and slammed him against the wall, placing the blade dangerously close to his throat.

 _"Emilia's program enabled us to view nearby human activity. Furthermore, I did a throughout analysis on the area before we departed. How is it possible for three random individuals to suddenly appear? It is simple, we were expected. You three knew about the tracker: Its range and functionality. Watching this warehouse via a camera feed, you were able to pinpoint our arrive. Everything was carefully prepared beforehand to dispose of us."_

She flung her sabre to a corner of the ceiling, slicing through an oddly placed camera.

 _"From the way you held your weapons, the way you dressed and the way you behaved. Everything was clumsily prepared."_

Altair removed the blade from his neck, instead shoving her foot onto his chest, crushing the life out of him while grinning sadistically. She was rewarded with painful whimpers from the worker

Its only natural that Kou, Emilia and I were all equally stricken with horror.

 _"This means that someone in your group is aware of mine and Meteora's abilities. Meteora's resourcefulness, my ability to teleport, my ability to deduce all your weak attempts at stopping me. Unfortunately, he does not seem to have the resources capable of scratching the physical manifestation of the omnipotent, ME!"_

She lowered him and aimed the tip of her saber at his neck.

" _Now you are gonna tell me where your boss is."_

...

Meteora's eyes fluttered open from the glare of the lone lightbulb dangling from the ceiling, gradually reorientated her senses. She found herself tied up along the four corners of the bed frame. While the binds did not exert significant stress on her wrists and ankles, the way she was spread out across the mattress implied the worst yet to come.

"Ah dearie, you are finally awake."

A slightly plump man in his forties wearing a flashy purple shirt and dark green trousers appeared out of the darkness.

"I really... really want to enjoy you the first chance I got, but you fell so comfortably asleep during the ride here..."

"...But now, I can savor you however I like. And you can scream your fears and anxieties away with your sugary sweet voice. You wouldn't be disturbing anyone I promise..."

Meteora refused to say anything to entertain this madman, she knew nothing could get between him and his prize.

"This dress from your prom, makes you look extra sexy tonight. This is truly an exquisite delicacy blessed by the gods themselves. Oh merci divine one! " He raised his hands up with zealous fervor, as though performing a thanksgiving ritual.

He dived on top of Meteora and proceeded to cut Meteora's dress bit by bit with a razor blade. Peeling off the layers surrounding her shoulders as though her dress was a banana peel. He ran his fingers across her smooth delicate skin, causing the man to occasionally jolt from the exhilaration. Every region of her body that was accessible to him was violated with both his hands and tongue.

"OH MY GOD THIS IS FANTASTIQUE. HER BODY IS SO FINE, PERFECT! ARGHH."

His lustful eyes studying every inch of her body as though she was some piece of artwork.

With newfound adrenaline coursing through his veins, the man proceeded to rip off her gown, revealing her underwear. He ran his hands down her thighs, savoring the texture; the softness of her skin against his own. His calloused touches grew rough, leaving visible bruise marks along her skin.

No strategy, no power, no chance.

The anxiety eventually work its way into her. The foreign sensations left a sickening feeling in her gut.

Meteora snapped. Unable to hold back her fear, her tears streamed down her face endlessly, accompanied with sniffling and writhing with pain.

...

 _"NOW TIME FOR THE ULTIMATE PRIZE."_

As he edged the tip of his blade at Meteora's undergarment, uncontrollable, maniacal slobbers echoed throughout the confines of the room.

...

Please...

Please stop...

Souta...

I am sorry.

_END_

 **Side Story 2**

On another side of Tokyo, its metropolitan police department were carrying out their usual routinely activities.

...

"Interpol has contacted us regarding a recent development. Police chief wanted you to take a look."

Amon leaned forward from his relaxer and flipped open folders that was left on his desk. His eyes widened after gingerly studying its contents.

"Savarin and Obasi, what do they want with this guys?"

"Well, this swiss man has been charged with fifteen rape cases in USA, Switzerland, Korea and several other countries . Seven of them involved a first degree murder and he has been last sighted at Minato Ward."

"Obasi on the other hand, is an ex special forces commander, really decorated chap. Apparently after the south american civil war, the provisional government dismissed his unit from service and he has been a wandering mercenary ever since. He was solely responsible for dismantling two whole FBI squads during a house raid."

She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts.

"...Call-sign wolf."

His secretary loaded a disk into the computer, which brought up a security camera feed playback from one of the shady alleyways of Roppongi.

"My god, his taste of fashion is seriously... How did this Swiss guy even get into Japan. " Amon shook his head in disgust.

The secretary scrolled through the playback.

"Probably trafficked through human containers, he is wealthy and has his means."

...

"He has possession of a certain girl with white hair, see this."

The Secretary scrolled through the video playback.

"Looks like this man found himself another victim."

Amon got off his seat, grabbing a handful of files from his desk.

"Mobilize strike units 1 and 2 and have them prepare lethals. Meanwhile, notify the commanders to receive the Mission profile at the briefing room ASAP. Lets get this done in four hours."


	6. Satisfaction

Roppongi, the heartland of vice trade.

Drugs, prostitutes, gambling, any sinful indulgence you desire is made readily avaliable at Roppongi district, courtesy of the Yakuza.

The last thing we wanted was to attract anybody related to those involved in the earlier incident. Hence, the four of us maneuvered swiftly through the alleyways behind the many pachinko dens that dominated the district. The footpaths were dimly lit by flickering street lamps and littered with potholes overflowing with rainwater, providing the ideal atmosphere for illicit activities. More often than not, clusters of prostitutes would offer us various services by openly performing suggestive hand signals, or the occasional band of hostile street thugs would approach us, with their bodies swaying in the most intimidating way possible.

Anything that suggests a brawl, Altair wants in.

She responded in return by giving a maniacal smile, conjuring her saber in response leaving most of the thugs perplexed or petrified at her magic trick.

After witnessing the odds potentially turned against them, most of the street thugs would smartly leave us alone. However, a special few would occasionally rise up to undertake this challenge. Only to land face first into the rainwater filled potholes.

The sword was just for show, with it casted aside soon after it was drawn. Instead, Altair dispatched them effortlessly with her hand to hand combat prowess.

...

 _The fact that there are here at Roppongi Indicates that the Hound team has been effectively dismissed. From the looks of it, they did not even put up a decent fight._

The man on the rooftop watched their movements carefully. His usual deadpanned expression did nothing to give away the adrenaline which surged within him, allowing it fuel his blood lust even further.

After all, nothing was ever more exciting in his life than to hunt challenging game.

Nowadays, even the most elite soldiers offered no contest to this rugged, sturdy figure.

 _Is it too much to ask? To have an equal stand against me for once?_

Wolf simply desired more, craving the power of the gods themselves. He wanted to justify his own strength, and deliver true justice to those that wrecked havoc on his life.

...

Everything changed for him the day his handler had passed him a file related to the girl with metallic silver haired pigtails.

 _This woman is notorious for sending the entire Tokyo home security branch into a panic frenzy. I think you would find your time with her most enjoyable... Treat this as your bonus for all the good work._

He had marked out his god.

A successful hunt is greatly attributed to studying the prey down to the very last detail. Every weakness must be identified and used against her. After all, taking chances against a god would be a self-assured suicide. With everything now in place, it is finally time to spring the trap.

His eyes zoned in on her once more, momentarily doubting his own assessment with his intuition.

 _She looks quite graceful and too mild to be a warrior._  
 ___

Altair led us into another warehouse. This time however, the warehouse was mostly empty.

 _"The guy passed out before he could give me a more detailed address..."_

Emilia nervously offered a suggestion, trying to quell Altair's fit.

 _"I could triangulate a more precise location, but it needs a bit of time."_

 _..._

 _"Time is a luxury we cannot afford. "_

 _..._

Altair suddenly turned her head away from Emilia, tensing herself up.

 _"...Someone is here."_

A black African burly figure accompanied with tribal tattoos running down both his bulky arms materialized from the shadows and proceeded to cross his arms, standing directly in from of us.

A dirty off-white scarf with crimson red tiger stripes was loosely wrapped around his neck, accompanied by what seemed like a necklace of pointed animal incisors.  
Meanwhile, the khaki pants and heavy black combat boots, along with his utility belt which housed several deadly weapons. This man housed Inhuman adaptability and sharp killer instinct, vital aspects that make up a legendary warrior. Thus, it was a premonition of being greeted by the harbinger of death himself.

...

Kou, Emilia and I stood rooted to our spots, cold sweat now lingering on our foreheads, but the man ignored the three of us, immediately pointing at Altair instead.

 _"You look like a capable fighter. Now, acknowledge the face of the man who will cut you down."_

He spoke with a gruff, black African accent.

...

Unlike the previous opponents we had faced, Altair did not give out any of her usual condescending remarks. After all, experience says that arrogance and overconfidence exposes one own's weaknesses. The man standing in before her was a prominent threat; A godly warrior in his own right.

...

She looked at her enemy with eyes slightly widened before gradually resuming her composure.

 _"I will hold him here. Souta, go rescue Meteora...I will not forgive you if you fail."_

Words I never expected to use towards Altair now came unexpectedly flowing out of my mouth.

 _"Do not die, live! And I will see you later."_  
...

Wolf drew his Machete with his left hand, its cast iron blade gleaming sharply at Altair's direction, on his right held a silver SWM 500 Revolver with six Hallow point magnum rounds.

Altair conjured another sabre, wielding it with her other free hand.

They edged closer to each other while figuring out their opponent's movements.

...  
...

Wolf forcefully drew his pistol at lightning speed, sending three shots towards Altair's head with deadly precision. Luckily, Altair's sword was at the ready, spinning the blade across her face, the rounds rang sharply against the metal as they were deflected away harmlessly. She flung one of sabres towards wolf, who slammed the sabre into the wall midflight with his machete.

Wolf's defensive reaction was enough to give Altair an opening.

She sprung forward and swung her sabre, but Wolf was faster, diving below her swing and tackled her abdomen. Both of them stumbling onto the concrete with Wolf on top of her; In the dominant position.

Wolf twisted Altair's wrist causing her to release her saber. Then used his other hand to perversely caress Altair's cheek,  
enjoying the sensation of her skin on his fingertips.

 _"Lady, you are really beautiful, I really wished we met at any other circumstance. But unfortunately, you seemed to have crossed my path and fucked over my client."_

Altair was visibly disturbed by the mercenary's words.

Wolf spun his machete and swung down hard at Altair's throat. She shifted her head in time to dodge the fatal blow, the blade scratched the side of her forehead and impaled into the tarmac. She swiftly adjusted her body weight, managing to kick wolf off, propelling him towards the ceiling.

Altair sprinted forward and recovered her two sabres, she hurled one towards wolf.

 _He is midair, he cant dodge this._

How wrong she was.

Wolf drew his gun and swiveled his body to face the incoming projectile, immediately directing another two rounds in Altair's direction. One of them collided with the sabre, bouncing it off its trajectory and sent it spinning onto the floor.

The other found its target as mushroom of blood erupted from Altair's shoulder.

 _"Pain, I have not experienced this for a long time."_

She collapsed on the ground in a growing pool of blood, her left shoulder torn apart by the hollow point. Leaving her raw muscle ruptured and exposed. The resulting pain coursed through her body, ravaging her senses and sending convulsions to her now trailing arm. The agony was dulling her consciousness, her own eyelids unable to take its weight, the world only seem to darken around her.

Wolf stood up and smiled arrogantly at his victory. Retrieving his machete, he approached Altair's limp bloodied body.

 _"In my tribe, we saw the heads off our enemies and wear them as necklaces on our heads. You should be honored fallen warrior, for you are strong."_  
...

It felt almost a lifetime ago.

There a grassy patio, She remembered gentle winds and cloudy skies. The air felt tranquil and lethargic.

Setsuna and Altair were having a picnic.

Taking small bites off her sandwich, she turned her eyes to Setsuna with a question in mind.

 _"Setsuna, Why do people work together to reach a common goal? Why not improve oneself as an individual to attain that goal instead."_

Shimazaki took Altair's hands and curled her index finger over a glass of water.

Releasing her hold on Altair's hands, the glass slid off her index finger as expecting, smashing onto the mat, spilling its contents over Altair's legs.

Altair was stunned by her demonstration,

" _Even the greatest individual strength may not be sufficient enough to reach certain goals. However, if a group of individuals band together. Their collective strenght could overcome that of any individual."_

This time around, she curled all of Altair's fingers around another glass of water.

 _"Only few individual people have seemingly divine powers and abilities like you, probably that is why you_  
 _never understood the value of teamwork."_

Altair sulky bit her lips, but a gentle shoulder tap by a cheerful Setsuna snapped her back to her senses.

...

" _If this lesson could make me stronger than what I am now, I am willing to reject my holopiscon abilities."_

Setsuna gave Altair a smile, thankful that her little girl is willing to part with her strengths, in order to grow as an individual.

...

 _I will show you my resolve, Setsuna!_

An unfamiliar warmth began to course through Altair as she was gradually reborn into this world. It was not any form of boost that she had experienced before, rather it felt more personal than physical.

It was the deep rooted feelings that she bore for her Creator. Feeding precious energy to Altair, allowing her to regain her fighting stance despite the agonizing pain overwhelming her body.

 _It did not hurt as much as it used too._

She exhaled deeply, trying to distract herself from her weakness.

 _I made a promise._

Using her free hand, she wrapped the sleeve of her shirt around her shoulders as a makeshift bandage, temporarily compressing the wound.

 _"I dont... Need...two hands...to beat...you."_

...

She took up her sword once more, her arm parallel to her body with the blade in front of her.

...

 _"So be it, false god."_

Wolf spun around with a high kick, straight towards Altair's injured shoulder. He flicked his machete with his hand and swung the blade over his shoulder at the same time. Altair parried his machete while slamming her leg against his chest, knocking him backwards.

His attacks were powerful, precise and well thought out.

There was one weakness.

Wolf was very greedy, going straight for vital points such as the head and her injured shoulder.

She had to try something...

Anything...

...  
They exchanged brutal blows, but Altair's guard was weakening. Wolf smiled delightfully, with Altair was phasing out of conscious. His victory was all but certain.

Wolf picked up his machete and threw it towards her.

The machete made a ripping noise as it tore her suit, burying itself into Altair's lower abdoment. Causing her to collapse to her knees once again.

Wolf parked himself directly in front of Altair, resting the barrel of the gun at her forehead.

 _"Now disappear, warrior."_

A deafening shot rang out, followed by dead silence

...

...

 _"How did you..."_

Wolf was grasping his chest in a futile attempt to stop the blood flow.

Timing a head butt perfectly, Altair shifted her head and slammed it by his hands, catching Wolf completely by surprise. Altair wrapped her arm around his elbow, forcing it to turn inwards. With his grip on the gun loosened, Altair struck her hand onto his trigger finger, chambering off the bullet into his chest.

Wolf shakily brushed his fingers across Altair's face, leaving behind trails of fresh blood before slumping lifelessly onto the ground, next to Altair.

 _"It was the best hunt I have ever had."_

In the meantime, she was losing consciousness. The rigorous fight along with her grievous injuries had left her beyond physical exhausted.

 _"It has been so long since I have felt so alive. I wonder if Shimazaki could give me...Holopiscon back..."_

Sirens of an ambulance became more distinct. Followed by the sound of combat boots striking the ground. Japanese special forces perpetually burst into the scene, arms at high pod.

Unfortunately for Altair, everything remained a blur as her vision slowly faded black.  
_

We pranced across the remaining interconnected warehouses. Eventually running into a door in front of us protected by two armed men with the same metal baseball bats as before.

We found it.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of heavy breathing.

The odds were stacked against us. Both Kou and I were not well versed in fighting, moreover Emilia was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion. She bent over, trying her hardest to catch her breath.

Kou's eyes lit up as though managing to concoct a _brilliant scheme_ to outwit the two gate guardians.

 _Whatever it is, he better do it fast, because they are starting to make their move._

The men gazed at the girl with lustful intent, forcing Kou to take up a defensive stance in front of her to break their line of sight.

 _"On my signal, run straight through that door. Meteora is most likely in there."_

He winked at me, empowering me with some confidence.

With that, Kou returned his gaze with the two gangsters, flipping his fingers at them, producing an offensive gesture accompanied with a stupefied grin on his face.

 _"Come get sum!"_

I was flabbergasted by his course of action.

The gangsters were so triggered by his gesture and started to pursue him, evidently forgetting that I was there entirely.

Kou gave a hysterical laugh and scooped up Emilia bridal style, before proceeding to sprint off in another general direction.

I managed to catch a glimpse of Emilia's crimson red face as Kou made his heroic exit.

...

Mustering all the courage in my arsenal, I pulled the doorknob leading to the endgame.  
_

The bed

The torn up clothes

Meteora's awkward body position.

It was the man from my nightmare.

The man turned his demonic eyes towards me, as though he found a new plaything. He jerked his head sideways like a broken robot.

I was simply frozen in horror.

...

"She has been really amazing, would you like her back?"

Meteora was on the verge of passing out from crying. Thankfully, she caught sight of me before fainting with a subtle smile across her face.

...

I was on time.

The man leapt off the bed, switch blade in hand.

 _"She was such an exquisite beauty, she tastes like the finest cuisine I ever had."_

His choices of words irked me greatly, sending waves of convulsions down my stomach.

He was a madman, a psychopath, that was all there is to it.

 _"You knew about her for some time didnt you."_

 _" To catch a fine specimen, one must be adequately prepared. You see, I am a man seeking out one of the many wondrous riches of the world. Many think of such as wealth, fame, luxury. But no no no no no... Those are too common, I want something more exquisite, more satisfying."_

I narrowed my eyes, gritting my teeth in disgust. The way he objectified women merely as sexual playthings was revolting.

"... _Women_."

...

 _"Right you are cherie, I am on a culinary adventure you see. And this girl right here is indeed my finest possession."_

 _..._

" _Possession. Meteora isnt yours. Give her back."_

" _Oh Meteora, what a fine name. You see Meteora, my eyes were locked onto you the moment I heard of strange occurences in japan 8 months ago. I did my research and I was in disbelief that Anime characters materialized in our world."_

" _Anime characters are nothing more than entertainment. Many of them created with unrealistic designs, strengths and personalities. Or they were created as a mere fan-service for the nerdy hormonal international audiences. They were born objects from the getgo. However, to even have a living breathing anime character is any nerd's wet dream."_

 _..._

" _She is not your toy, she is Meteora, the libarian of Wursthammer from Avalken."_

He gave me a sarcastic applause, laughing hysterically at my response.

 _"Where was I, ah yes... The impossible became possible, and I finally managed to get my hands on this trophy. But you had to disturb my feast, for that, you will suffer."_

He crouched forward, switch blade in hand and poised to cut me down.

I knew I was not well versed in any form of physical combat. I instinctively dived to the side to avoid his swings.

Luck so far has been on my side as his aggressive actions have not yielded anything.

Compared to Altair masterful combat skills, this man was not even remotely close to her speed and precision. His movements were laborious and clumsy, with his slightly oversized belly often getting in the way. Furthermore, his breathing would struggle after a few half hearted swings.

He has only depended on the mercenaries and street thugs for self protection. Neglecting to hone his combat skills and fitness.

This guy is merely a walk in the park. I may win.

...

 _"Bring Meteora back, or I will never forgive you."_

...

The man lunged at me with even more ferocity, blade in hand.

I closed my eyes, repeatedly playing back the words in my head.

...

As if on cue, I launched my foot forward to cross his step, causing him to lose balance and stumble to the ground.

I dove next to him, desperately using both my hands to squeeze his wrist. He promptly released the blade under the pressure, allowing me to grab hold of it and position the blade at his neck.

The man was heaving from exhaustion.

" _You have no idea what sort of creative, sickening torture I had concocted during this redundant goose chase."_

I wanted to make him feel all the pain in the world; To make him suffer just as he made Meteora suffered.

...

 _"Souta, please don't... No more."_

The familiar voice was barely a murmur, but it broke me free from my rage. I released my hold on the man, letting him lie exhausted on the cold, desolate concrete.

Using the switchblade I had acquired, I cut through Meteora's restraints. Leaning her gently against the bed frame.

Her cerulean eyes fluttered open, with calmness gradually found its way back into her eyes.

I studied her face to assess the damage.

The dried patches resembling streams that trailed down her cheeks. With Red and black marks ravaging her skin's natural beauty.

It had been too much for her.

The thought of me losing her shook me to the core. I embraced her tightly, taking in the warmth I had missed so much. I buried my face into her shoulder, weeping my eyes out.

"I am so sorry... I wont be weak anymore I promise."

Meteora tilted her head to face my ear, whispering a soft...

" _Thank you."_

I was finally set free.

...

The next thing I knew, a flash of light burst into the room. Followed by the cluncky foodsteps of combat boots.

Men from the special forces division of the Tokyo metropolitan police department have arrived on scene. The soldiers fanned out across the room, surveying every corner for any potential threats.

One of them, presumably the commander assisted Meteora and I outside, while instructing the other few to apprehend the assailant I had dispatched earlier, dragging his body along the floor.

As I exited the confines of the warehouse. I was greeted with the numerous police and ambulance sirens. Disorienting me from the sudden change of events that the noise and commotion around me felt like a blur. Paramedics hurriedly arrived and laid Meteora on the stretcher while addressing her wounds. I reached out my hand, wanting to follow her but they did not let me.

 _Everything is going to be alright._

Whatever I saw next clutched my inner being.

...

Altair was being loaded into the ambulance by the paramedics. Although she was quite a a distance away from me, her wounds were prominent enough to be seen.

I instinctively ran towards the ambulance, genuinely worried, but was blocked off by a daunting figure. He wore silver trimmed glasses and a police inspector uniform.

 _"Sorry sir, but I need you to come with us. My name is inspector Amon, there are some things I would need to know. Do not worry, your friend is in good hands."_

I had to see her...

I wanted to apologize so badly to her.

For risking her life in such a way for my mistake.

I had to see her.

...

Any form of resistance was futile as I was forcefully dragged away by two policemen.

Kou and Emilia were at the station along with me.

Inspector Amon ran through the interrogation with us, which lasted for a full hour before we were allowed to leave. The warehouse owners had taken pity on our circumstances. Refusing to press any charges on the damaged containers. We were fortunate enough to leave with two weeks of probation.

 _"Souta, I will see you around later yeah."_

Emilia waved a friendly goodbye while Kou gave me a squeeze on the shoulder.

 _"Everything is going to be alright. If you are feeling bad for dragging me into all this, I am free this Friday for a cafe treat."_

He flashed his bright cocky grin at me before departing with his girlfriend.

...

Meanwhile, my mother had waited patiently outside the station to fetch me home. She was mortified, yelling at me to never do that again. It drove her to the point of tears, making me regretful of my actions and how I dragged everyone along into all this.

I embraced my mother with a loving hug.

Expressing my sincere apologies were the only thing I could do for her now, as thoughts of Altair and Meteora flashed endlessly across my mind.

The powder blue curtains fluttered gracefully against the breeze, signifying the beginning of a blissful day ahead.

Shoving aside the hospital door, I was greeted by an intense beam of sunlight, I lifted up my hand to shield the sun rays with my palm. Which eventually subsided to reveal Meteora sitting against the bedframe, reading one of the hard cover novels she loved so much.

The scenary was beautiful and breathtaking, allowing myself to reminisce our very first date together.

My brown eyes made their way to Meteora's shimmering azure blue orbs. Her eyes misty perhaps from the thought of seeing me again.

Allowing an unanticipated surge of euphoria to erupt inside me, I let myself plunge to Meteora's side, locking her in a warm embrace.

Even though it had only been more than a day, it genuinely felt like a lifetime ago.

...

As we separated, our eyes remained locked into each other, her narrow eyelids paired alongside the gleeful smile on her lips, was simply the most heartwarming expressions I had ever witnessed from her.

 _"Thank you for staying strong for me."_

She whispered against my ear, sliding off my spectacles, gingerly rubbing her finger across my eyelid.

I ran my fingers through her hair, fingers prancing around her soft, delicate locks.  
Just beyond grateful that she was generally unharmed.

 _"I never felt so powerless in my life before. I could not have done anything without the help of Altair."_

I was consumed by anguish

I was ashamed to even look at her.

After all, I could not guarantee her happiness and safety.

 _I do not deserve her._

...

Meteora refused to say a word. Instead she locked her arms behind my neck and pressed our foreheads together, savoring the moment of closeness, seemingly oblivious to the events that had occurred.

 _"looking at you hate yourself, its so painful...I do not want to hear any of it."_

I was on the verge of breaking down, but my eyes lit up at her statement. A soft touch enclosing around my cheek and the intense gaze of her Cerulean orbs invoked warmth so powerful, effectively dispelling every single ounce of anguish I had initially possessed.

 _"You still saved me, that's all that matters. Everyone is strong and weak in their own way, but that is what makes you special to me. I will not let uncontrollable circumstances threaten our relationship. No matter what happens to you or me, you always be the Souta I love."_

Love is truly one unstoppable force.

" _Meteora..."_ I began.

She pasted her index finger on my lips, chastising me for my inappropriate remarks.

 _"No more..."_

With her finger finally withdrawn, the distance closed between us.

Nothing else in the world mattered beyond that point.

...

I really missed her.

"Oh you are awake."

Altair stood along the balcony inside her hospital room.

Bandages wrapped around her forehead and shoulders. Marring her beautiful features. This time however, she had released the red ribbon binding her pigtails, letting her hair stream down abundantly, her metallic silver fibers dancing against the wind. On a side note, her hair color complimented the turquoise hospital gown she was wearing, which looked strikingly similar to that of a dress.

...

 _"How was Meteora?"_

...

 _"She is fine, the nurses just needed to run a few checks on her."_

I responded in kind, sliding the door shut behind me.

She turned away to the sky, smiling her heart away for the first time.

" _I have found what I needed."_

Her voice was barely audible.

I stopped beside her, now leaning myself against the balcony.

 _"What would that be?"_

...

 _"Exposing myself to weakness had driven me to lessen my dependence on the holopiscon, to test the limits of my own physical capabilities. I am defined by my own strengths, not by a god tool ."_

...

"Has fighting always been a means for you?"

...

Altair narrowed her irises, as though cogitating the meaning of her existence.

She then pulled away from her thoughts, seemingly satisfied with her final answer.

 _"In a sense, yes Souta. However the reason would be left for another time."_

 _..._

 _"Thanks, for everything. Without you, Meteora would have been..."_

Altair struck out her palm towards me, interrupting my confession.

 _"Not just me, you were able to take down the mastermind with your own hands. I was there purely to pave the way to the endgame."_

Silence ensued, clouding the air with a familiar feeling of awkwardness.

...

It was time to go.

I could feel the slackening of time itself as I approached the exit.

With every step triggering a explosive relapse of memories regarding the nightmarish incident, running free in my head once again. Cries and voices were accompanied with eerie echoes, faces of what seemed like aggressors distorted beyond recognition.

These experiences reeked of negative energy, binding me with the dread and horror that came with it.

...

 _"Everyone is strong and weak in their own way..."_

 _..._

 _"Finally you have the balls to take physical action..."_

 _..._

 _"That is really unbecoming for a guy that saved the world..."_

 _..._

Now, only calm and serenity had taken its place. The nightmares faded away as I was slowly warped back to reality.

I tilted my head, uttering something to Altair. Catching a glimpse of her beet red face just as I stepped out onto the corridor.

...

...

...

...

 _"Altair, I hope you start reconsidering the answer to my question. After all, I feel that you are too beautiful to be a fighter."_

_THE END_  
_

AN1: I know that Altair does not have any hand to hand combat experience in the anime, but I decided to add it in as to accompany her sword skills and make her look just at tough as she was in the original anime.

AN2: A really big thank you to those that have followed throughout my story. This was my first fanfiction and it had certainly been an enjoyable one. I am currently planning more projects ahead but in the meantime, I will work on some origin stories for some of the characters I had concocted. Feel free to suggest too, thanks!


	7. Fanfiction Origins: Wolf

AN: Here is the first Origins story, enjoy!

"UN world leaders have finally convinced South Africa's dictator King Mohmar to track down and eliminate rogue general Mismar: The leader of the New African Republic. While these insurgents are slowly gaining popularity from the local populace, they are also responsible for the widespread social unrest over the past six months. With chaos and strife now rampant within the country, an international manhunt for this man is currently going underway..."

...

Thousands of miles away...

The morning sun burst across the horizon of the amazonian rainforest. Once again revitalizing the wildlife residing beneath the canopy of the dense treetops. Within the dense vegetation masked the presence of a clearing no larger than a tennis court. At its center stood a wooden shed, held together by shoddy construction work and surrounded with rusty but functional Concertina wires.

...

Obasi slid off from his hammock and began to make preparations by neatly laying out his equipment.

An SKS 45 rifle placed neatly on the work bench, attached with a suppressor, a variable zoom scope and a ten round magazine housing 7.62 FMJ rounds...

An SWM 500 Revolver with three speedloaders...

Optical and navigational instruments...

Combat rations...

Handheld Radio...

Grenades...

Perfect.

...

"Are you done yet, Hagane? It is time to depart."

...

"Yup, just hold on a second."

A girl not older than her teens rose from the hammock directly opposite Obasi. Her elegant face with fair skin and reddish irises was marred by the streaks of camouflage paint. She also had silver metallic hair which were held together in a bun.

Hagane tied a camouflage net around her forehead to act as a bandanna. After which, pulled a black HK416 from beneath her trunk and loaded her magazine inside before mounting on her utility belt and sheathing her combat knives into their respective compartments.

"How long to the target's destination?"

Hagane was sullen. It was her last live tactical mission with Obasi as her mentor. Unlike her last two mentoring missions which took place in urban areas, the harshness combined with the unfamiliarity of this newfound environment had taken a great deal of toll onto her body.

She could only thank the gods for a teacher more than capable to overcome this ordeal.

Obasi, the seeker of wolves, the wolf hunter.

A masterful soldier in his own right.

...

"Sixteen kilometers south of here, we need to get moving now."

...

"Yesh alright already, you are so impatient its almost unprofessional."

Obasi grunted at her childish chiding, he wanted to get out of this accursed tropical rain-forest as soon as possible. The safe houses in the amazon offered little protection against the rampaging bats and mosquitos at night. A good smoke and Ice cold beers were the only things lingering in his head right now.

At the very least, he was not hunting alone.

"Get serious Hagane, its time to get back into the grid."

Hagane dramatically held her breath, bracing herself for the adventure, causing wolf to roll his eyes at her comical reaction.

It was going to be a long day ahead.

The elements of the jungle were relentless: The suffocating humidity and the hostile indigenous lifeforms that inhabited the rainforest gave off a much unwanted feeling of dread. The odor that rose from their muddied boots and soiled attire, accompanied by the unsettling feeling of predators or parasites lurking around the corner were not helping the situation at hand.

However, for our two soldiers in the field, this was just another day at the office.

Obasi took the lead, slashing away the undergrowth with his machete, while Hagane gingerly followed behind him, occasionally poising her eyes and gun towards the rear, effectively checking their sectors.

...

He suddenly shot out his hand, signalling to stop.

A jaguar twice the size of Hagane emerged from the shadows

The king of the Rainforest has made its appearance.

It leapt onto the forest ground and pranced around us dangerously, while training its eyes on us.

"Hagane...Do not move..."

Obasi hand slowly found its way to his utility belt, releasing the clip of his utility pouch and drawing out his machete, all at snails pace.

 _If he'd use a gun instead, the whole world will know that we are here after all._

 _..._

Despite how the circumstances looked, the next portion was over very quickly.

Obasi jerked forward intentionally, startling the jaguar and causing it to mistime his pounce. As the jaguar soared in the air, Obasi swerved to its side with lightening speed, holding out his machete and spinning it once before cleanly lacerating the jaguar during mid-flight. As a result, it dived head first against the leaf litter, slamming itself into a nearby tree while leaving behind a trail of jaguar innards and blood in the process.

With the threat dispatched, Obasi sheathed his weapon. Earning him a starry eyed look of admiration from Hagane.

"How long have you been doing this sir?"

...

"About fifteen years..."

...

"Have you considered retirement? I guess it would be a big stress reliever after spending so much time away from your family."

...

 _She had been asking this question for ages.._

Obasi stopped in his tracks, promptly taking a knee and bringing up his binoculars.

...

"I have no family..."

"...probably aside from you."

He warmly gave Hagane a pat on her head, messing up her bandanna in the process.

...

"Hey!"

Hagane gave Obasi an agitated pout in response.

...

As they traversed deeper into the hostile landscape, Obasi's footsteps began to soften.

"Quiet now, we are close..."

Obasi tore apart the bushes in front of him to reveal a cliff edge.

The cliff was at least five hundred meters away from the objective, granting a clear line of sight to the encampment and all the activities conducted within it. The camp itself was enclosed by thick mud walls and a large corrugated metal gate with guards patrolling around the perimeter. Within the camp lies a radio tower, a generator room, weapons room and several large tents for housing its troops adjacent to one another. While the center had a small parade square where several troops are currently gathering for meals and recreation.

From the looks of it, the encampment was well guarded. This rogue general had taken its precautions, having a direct assault would be suicide.

Obasi scanned his surroundings with his binoculars to the final detail. Locations of the sniper posts, watch towers, guards and various installations of the camp were burned into his memory.

On the other hand, Hagane could only watch in awe as the expert did his work.

"We will push back into the jungle until night fall, only then will we take the shot."

The journey to the objective site has left them famished and exhausted. Thankfully with Obasi's careful planning , they were ahead of time by about two hours. Ample time to replenish themselves and prepare their equipment.

...

"This will probably be my very last mission with you, afterwards I would probably dispatched elsewhere solo."

A hint of disappointment could be heard in Hagane's voice.

...

"Hunting alone... Its rather lonely."

Obasi commented while swirling his can of baked beans before gulping it all down.

...

"I mean, that is the life of a black ops soldier right? We put our lives on the line for our country, and in return we get the honor and praise from our people and leaders alike. Anyways, comfortable beds and cold drinks are waiting for us at home."

...

Despite how grim the situation was, Hagane's optimism had always manage to lighten the atmosphere around him. Although, taking a life is not the most enjoyable thing to do, her presence during these missions had made this job a lot more bearable. For that he was grateful.

...

"Your birthday is coming soon right? What would you like to have? Consider it my parting gift." Obasi flung his can into the vegetation before adjusting his optic on his sniper rifle.

...

"I guess a father would be nice..."

"8.00pm..."

Obasi crawled out of the vegetation and mounted his SKS onto the ledge with Hagane beside him as his apparent spotter.

"The general will arrive every Tuesday night for an all round personnel check, this will only be the time he is out of his bullet proof vehicle."

As if on cue, the rumbling of an armored car could be heard. Hagane trained the noise until it appeared from the cover of the treetop canopy before pulling up in front of the main gate. The guards gave their salutations to the armored car, however the gate remained shut.

"I guess he would inspect the guard room first beforehand."

And it was then Hagane noticed that Obasi was not positioned at his rifle, but rather a body length next to it.

"Sir?"

...

"I want you to take the shot Hagane..."

...

Needless to say, she was elated at this development, with her teeth widening into a huge grin.

She shifted herself along the carefully mounted SKS, leaning her eyes against the weapon and aligning her target to the sights. As she hovered her finger above the trigger, the general made his exit from the armored vehicle, unaware of the fate that was about to befall him.

"Stay calm... take deep breaths."

This nostalgic scene left warmth, reminding himself of the time when he was still a young rookie accompanying an accomplished member of the Black Ops Unit, whom has now risen further into the military hierarchy.

...

Obasi awarded Hagane's with a gentle shoulder squeeze followed by a few taps.

After all, the general's head exploded with a spray of blood, painting his armored car as well as his disoriented guards crimson red. A series of alarms were triggered almost instantly, resulting in deafening sirens that shamelessly broke the tranquility of the amazon rain forest. On top of that, the gate rumbled open and armed insurgents poured out from it, fanning out into the forest, seeking vengeance upon those responsible for knocking them out from their job.

The shot was no louder than a hard knock on a glass bottle, effectively masking their presence.

With the job done, Obasi picked up his mini radio and called in for extrication as they promptly made their way back to the safe house.

...

"Crap, its busted..."

Obasi flung the radio away, as far as he could before pulling out his handgun.

The stainless steel SWM 500, one of the most powerful revolvers ever engineered in the history of firearms

"Huh, What do you mean."

Hagane was beyond mortified, something has gotten seriously wrong.

...

The cracking of fallen branches and rustling of the undergrowth were becoming louder.

"We have to go now!"

 _The wires were cleanly severed from the inside out, an obvious attempt at sabotage. However the perpetrators were not even careful of hiding the fault within the radio. Hagane was the only person I have ever been with during his time here, but was also someone I trusted dearly. With that said, I immediately shoving the thought of her as the culprit out of his head. Things were not adding up. An uneasy feeling told Obasi that it had been a setup from the start._

 _It felt as though they themselves were sent here to die._

...

Random shouts and the discharge of automatic weapons broke his thoughts, sending a flurry of bullets slicing through the vegetation, boring themselves into the tree directly next to them. Silhouettes emerged from beneath the ravine, illuminated by the moonlight and seemingly exhausted from the climbing and chasing.

Hagane and Obasi in turn brought forward their weapons.

Time to bite back.

Unlike the insurgents who fired and advanced recklessly, giving no heed to any form of basic soldering tactics. Both of them were taking careful aim and firing calculated shots through adequate cover behind the dense undergrowth. With every shot landing on target, sending them spiraling down the ravine.

Obasi needed to create space, escape was of utmost priority.

He then proceeded to unpin a smoke and fragmentation grenade with his teeth, rolling them both at the general direction of the attackers. The resulting explosions sent shrapnel and wooden splinter, combined with the smoke which blinded the advancing enemy forces, effectively masking the duo's movements.

"Here is our chance, lets move. The grenades will result in more chaos and confusion, giving us a chance to slip away."

They ran for what seemed like hours, occasionally crashing into the many trees and dead fall in their way.

However luck seemed to be on their side, losing their pursuers and ultimately allowing them to once again reach the safe house. On top of that, the rotors of a friendly CH-47 Chinook could be heard over the horizon, and it was not before long before it landed within clearing.

Everything was a blur, overwhelmed by how quick the events were happening around Obasi.

Meanwhile, the rear doors winded down to reveal his commanding general and his bodyguards.

"General Alexander! You are truly godsend."

Hagane exclaimed in relief, arching her back and dragging herself towards the Chinook, physically exhausted.

"Teacher?"

Obasi eyes widened in bewilderment at his appearance, what was such a high ranking officer doing out in the field.

...

 _The wires were cleanly severed from the inside out, an obvious attempt at sabotage..._

 _How would they know they would be here? How would they know when they were completed with the mission?_

 _The sadness that permeated from the general's facial features._

"NO STOP! HAGANE!"

Obasi reached out his hand, but was responded only with a burst of gunshots in Hagane's direction.

As Hagane's body crumpled lifelessly in front of him, he caught a glimpse of her bloodied smile.

She was dead before she even hit the ground.

 _Thud_

 _Thud_

...

 _Everything was unjust._

 _It was at that moment, I_ _wished to see the whole of creation turn to ash._

 _Do even the gods themselves take pleasure in all this suffering._

 _What have I been doing my entire life._

 _..._

The body guard trained his rifle to his next target, only to realize he was not there.

Obasi dropped instantly before performing a combat roll towards the helicopter at lightning speed, at the same time reloading his revolver with a speedloader.

His speed and ferocity empowered by the anguish and pain that coursed through his very being.

There was literally no time to react as Obasi speedily recovered from his maneuver, sending deadly magnum rounds into the skulls of the bodyguards while incapacitating the general. Obasi proceeded to grab the general by the neck and slammed him against the seats, pointing his gun towards the cockpit screaming at the pilots to takeoff.

"Tell me what is going on now!"

Grief, anguish, sorrow, pain. If their objective was to kill him, they succeeded in half of it.

...

Obasi smashed the general's head using the revolver, his grip tightening around the general's neck.

"TELL ME!"

 _No more self restraint, no more mercy._

Obasi once more exerted his raging emotions, slamming his boot into the general's abdomen, causing his body to shudder violently before letting loose a stream of bloody vomit from his mouth.

It made a disgusting trail along Obasi's face, but he did not care.

...

Bloody tears began to stream down the general's face as he studied his former student's agonized expression.

The man's bloodied fingers conjured up enough energy to reach Obasi's cheek, affectionately grazing it.

"The country... Is gone... And since all black ops soldiers... Answer directly to the dictator...you know the king's deepest darkest secrets through his missions...you all had to be terminated... We hoped you would die during your mission...But alas second rate civilian insurgents are child's play to you...no loose ends...We had no choice..."

Alexander's head slumped lifelessly against the seat before he could even complete his sentence.

The whirling sound of the fan disturbed Obasi's thought processes, slowly bringing him back to reality.

...

"The people that upheld the peace and stability in our society, discarded by the people they had sworn to protect. They treat our life's work like a little game, and whenever it doesn't work out for them, all they needed to do was just press the reset button; Effectively wiping everything clean and starting off a with a new slate. Its not just the same for your South African criminal you call king, goes to everyone in this world."

A shot of painful memories erupted within the confines of Obasi's mind, causing beads of perspiration to form on his forehead and his breathing to become irratic.

"I have lost everything by the people I had sworn on my very life to protect, there is nothing left for me anymore."

The man across the table in the dimly lit room rose to his feet, presenting Obasi with a batch of documents which piqued his interest.

"This is?"

"The recent developments in Tokyo, of course I will pay good money for it."

Obasi flipped through the documents, his eyes widening upon seeing a girl with silver haired pigtails and red blue eyes, wearing a soldier uniform with what looked like countless swords spinning around her.

The Eurasian man proceeded to arch his back, placing his palms on the table.

"If people do not value your existence, then why do you even value theirs? Live, live like warrior you were, LIVE FOR THE THRILL OF BATTLE. For if the whole world is your enemy, you would probably feel more alive than you probably are now..."

Obasi closed the documents in his hand while taking deep breaths, considering the man's proposal.

"That does not mean taking the life of the innocent."

...

The man's voice lowered to a whisper, sounding deeply concerned for Obasi's current state.

"The world only knows how to bend justice into their own needs, as such the value of justice itself is long gone. Everyone knows this but why doesn't anyone speak up about it? Its because they draw countless benefits from such a distorted system! After all, Why bother to change when it doesn't even affect you? Furthermore, those ignorant fools blatantly ignore people like you; Those left behind by society to rot and die. Maybe you can be that change, cast your judgement onto mankind itself through the thrills of battle. Could there be anything more magnificent?"

...

"Would you rather die forgotten, or rather leave a huge dent on this society we had all come to abhor."

Obasi's eyes lit up as though he had made his decision. This man before him showed himself as a visionary with world changing views, adding to the fact would be the martyr of justice which was already attractive by itself, the decision was not hard to make.

"When do we start?"

...

"Hmm anytime you are ready."

...

The man got off the table and was already making his way towards the exit.

Before that however, he tilted his head around and popped a final question.

"By the way, how should I address you?"

...

"Wolf."


End file.
